Fruit Salsa

I absolutely LOVE salsa. So when I was introduced to fruit salsa, I about jumped for joy.  Pair this salsa with some Stacy's Cinnamon Pita Chips, and I guarantee this will be your new fav thing to snack on this summer.  It's a total crowd pleaser!  I bring out a bag of chips and a big ol' bowl of fruit salsa for the kiddos when they need a break from playing outside in the heat.  It's cool, sweet, healthy... you're gonna love it!
This recipe makes a big batch, but the good news is, it freezes very well.  I take whatever hasn't been devoured, spoon into quart size freezer bags or jars and keep it for up to three months in the freezer. However, it won't last that long.  This is the perfect snack to bring to the park or zoo when you meet up with friends...  just open up the jar and let the kids dig in! 

Fruit Salsa

*4 kiwi, peeled and sliced

*1 mango, peeled and sliced

*3 apples, peeled and sliced

*1.5 cups rasperries

*1 cup blackberries

*2 cups strawberries

*small squeeze of lemon juice

Throw everything into a blender and mix together.  Grab the cinnamon chips and ENJOY!

Happy Friday, friends!

*you can follow me on IG or Pinterest @sarawuchko, and  on FB at Haute Dish Housewife https://www.facebook.com/hautedishhousewife for more recipe ideas, crafts/DIY, my style and giveaways.



Our Treasure Hunt

Sometimes I feel like I'm grasping at straws when it come to fun activities to do with my girls at home. One of our favorites that I always seem to go back to a few times each season is what we refer to as our treasure hunt.  We "hunt" around the yard for new things happening. The kids never get bored of doing this.  In fact, every time I bring it up, I get jumps and high pitched squeals of approval.  Each kid gets a baggie with their name written on it to collect the things we can move, and then I bring a camera so we can take pictures to capture the items and happenings that we can't move.
This morning, I dropped my oldest off at school, looked at my youngest in the rear-view mirror and asked, "Wanna go on a treasure hunt?"  Cheers from the backseat made the next hour or so a breeze.


Today, our treasure hunt bag was filled with dandelions, "wishing flowers," a few super tall weeds, some tree bark, flower petals from off the ground and five or six rocks my Little One thought would be perfect for painting.  Little things, but they kept her busy and happy... and I love that.


The things that we found that couldn't be moved???  Those things were our very favorite.

Little One with her baggie for treasure and a wishing flower... she's ready for this!

Busy bee.

"It's beautiful, Mommy!"

A robin decided the kids play set would be a perfect spot to build a nest and lay eggs.  Looks like we'll be steering clear for awhile!

We have babies!  We've been checking on the other robin's nest in the bushes for weeks now, and FINALLY!  Tiny little babies.  Can't wait to see them with their little fuzzy feathers.

Painting rocks to pass time as Mommy cooks lunch.

What is your favorite, go-to activity to do with your kids?  One they just never get tired of?

Hope you enjoyed the beauty in the day, friends!

*you can follow me on IG or Pinterest @sarawuchko, and  on FB at Haute Dish Housewife https://www.facebook.com/hautedishhousewife for more recipe ideas, crafts/DIY, my style and giveaways.

Delectable Grilled Shrimp Boats

I hate to admit it, but I pretty much ate my way through the entire holiday weekend.  My birthday was on Saturday, and my husband and kiddos were so sweet and took me out to one of my very favorite restaurants for dinner and cake. To top it off, my three year old sat down and behaved the whole time AND there were no spills... celebrate! That in itself was quite a birthday gift for me.


By the time this morning rolled around and my handsome man went to work, I opened the fridge to make the kids breakfast and realized choices were limited.  VERY limited.  After spending the day running errands, getting groceries and stocking up on books at our local library, I still felt like a total blob. I could tell I was in need of something on the healthier side for dinner.  I decided to toss some shrimp on the grill and make grilled shrimp boats.

Don't they look absolutely DELICIOUS?  Mouthwatering grilled shrimp and chopped veggies, all on a crisp romaine lettuce boat... the perfect vehicle to get everything to my mouth ASAP!  (yes, I really did just say that) I put out a bowl of fresh pineapple slices and I have to say, it was heavenly.

Grilled Shrimp Boats

*one pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined

*one green bell pepper, chopped

*one tomato, chopped

*one avocado, chopped

*1/4 red onion , diced

*handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

*juice of two limes

*salt and pepper

*Lawry's garlic salt

*two tbls olive oil

*6 large romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed and pat dry

Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Toss shrimp in olive oil and season with salt, pepper and a bit of garlic salt. Lay them out on a single layer on the hot grill.  Let them go for two minutes and then turn.  Let them go for another minute or two, remove from the grill and set aside to cool a bit.  Grab a large bowl and toss in your chopped pepper, tomato, avocado, onion and cilantro.  Cut shrimp into chunks and add to the veggies. Add the cilantro, lime juice and mix everything together.  Add a bit more salt and pepper and toss it all together.  Lay out the romaine lettuce "boats" and spoon shrimp and veggie mix onto the leaves. Now sit back and look at how pretty it all looks! Because honestly, they won't last very long. 

I've made these for a meal, but have also made a double batch and laid them out as an appetizer when we have friends or family over.  They are a big hit!  Even better?  You can chop all your veggies (except the avocado... I'd do that right before serving so the color stays bright green) and grill the shrimp ahead of time, store it all in bowls in the fridge and just throw it all together minutes before your guests arrive.  I LOVE entertaining with recipes that can be made ahead of time, don't you? 

Simple, beautiful and they taste incredible.  You DEFINITELY have to give these beauties a try!


*you can follow me on IG or Pinterest @sarawuchko, and  on FB at Haute Dish Housewife https://www.facebook.com/hautedishhousewife for more recipe ideas, crafts/DIY, my style and giveaways.

Celebration! Aaaand Banana Blueberry Bread...

I must admit, the beginning of the school year was a bit scary. Not so much for my child, (she was just SO excited) but for me.  Would she be as smart as the rest of the kids?  Would she get along with everyone?  What would her teacher be like?  Would the days be too long for her?  Would she eat lunch or get hungry throughout the day? Would she miss me?


As the days went on and routine set into place, I was so impressed at her ability to adapt to all the changes going on around her.  The day she grabbed a book we had never read, and began to read it to her little sister... that day will forever stick in my mind.  When she said that every single day she went home, her teacher (who turned out to be above and beyond AMAZING) would give each and every child in her class a big hug and let them know she couldn't wait to see them the next time they had school... my heart melted.  It was a dream year.  A phenomenal teacher, a whole classroom of children who became such close friends, and the parents... well, they were just the very best.


It really is bittersweet to see the school year come to an end.  But today?  Today was a celebration! Parents were all invited into the classroom for lunch and to watch all our little learners put on a program for us.  They sang songs that made us laugh, made us cry, and more than anything, made us all SO proud.  My Sweet Girl sang a solo of Baa-Baa Black Sheep... she sounded like an angel.  Then each child came up an said what they wanted to be when they got older.  We have future artists, teachers and race car drivers.  We had one little boy step up and say he wanted to be in the Navy.  My baby girl stepped up to the mic and announced that she hoped to be a famous songwriter someday.  It was an incredible program to bring to an end, an incredible year.


In honor of my Sweet Girl's successful year of Kindergarten, I'd like to share the recipe for her very favorite banana blueberry bread. It's the "m" word, (I seriously can't even say that word... m.o.i.s.t. ew. Anyone with me, there?) delicious and makes a perfect dessert OR a wonderful breakfast.  Serve up with some sweet honey butter and you'll be making this over and over again!

Banana Blueberry Bread

*one cup of sugar

*1/2 cup vegetable oil

*2 large eggs

*4 ripe bananas (I keep mine in the freezer and thaw out before mixing)

*one teas vanilla extract

*2 cups flour

*1.5 teas baking soda

*1/8 teas salt

*1.5 cups of blueberries (tossed with one teas flour so they don't sink to the bottom)

Preheat your oven to 350.  Grease bread pans. (I use two 8x4 pans) Mash up bananas, and then add sugar, oil, eggs & vanilla. Mix well with mixer. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a separate, larger bowl. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry and mix thoroughly. Gently fold in blueberries, pour mix into pans and bake for 45 minutes. Use a toothpick to check and make sure they're done.  Then, ENJOY!

My little girls really love making this bread with me.  I'm pretty certain my oldest could probably recite the recipe for you... we've made it so many times!  This bread also freezes well.  Just be sure to cool completely, wrap in saran wrap and then put in a freezer safe bag. Thaw out a loaf on a Sunday night when you realize you haven't done grocery shopping for the week and have nothing for breakfast...  (Speaking from experience.  Whoopsie!)

Try it, friends!  I hope your family loves this bread as much as mine does. Enjoy the weekend!

*you can follow me on IG or Pinterest @sarawuchko, and  on FB at Haute Dish Housewife https://www.facebook.com/hautedishhousewife for more recipe ideas, crafts/DIY, my style and giveaways.

Summer 2015 Bucket List

I know I'm not alone here...


The kids are wrapping up the last few days/weeks of school.  End of the year programs, recitals and such.  Signing up for swimming lessons, planning camping trips... it's all happening, friends.  I couldn't be more excited!
Every year, I throw together a Bucket List to kick off our summer and to make sure nothing gets forgotten.  The months just breeze by so fast and there's so much to squeeze into these nice, sunny days we are blessed with. I talked to a few of my mama friends, and of course, my children, and we shared ideas for fun things to do this summer. 

So here it is! 

Our Summer 2015 Bucket List

*one week cabin vacation, just the 4 of us

*Chutes & Ladders park

*Bonfire

*Fishing

*Fish Fry with our parents

*Summer Reading Program at our local library

*Drive-in movie

*Donate Toys

*Como Zoo

*MN Zoo

*Renaissance Festival

*State Fair

*Dakota County Fair

*Lorence's Berry Farm

*Fireworks

*Stillwater

*Northfield/Red Barn Pizza Farm

*Fly Kites

Beach

*Pizza party with neighbor friends
*Jim's Apple Barn

Sounds like a great summer, right?!
What's on your family's summer bucket list?  I'd love to hear your ideas!

Fish Fry

This past weekend was wonderful for so many reasons. A ton of housework done, a bonfire with friends, our first afternoon on the boat and a fish fry.  Loved it all, but the fishing and our fish fry was definitely a topper.  We had SO MUCH fun bringing the girls out to the lake.  Of course, I had to get a refresher course myself when it came to casting and such, but soon I was standing right beside my husband teaching our kiddos.  I'll admit, it got a bit crazy at times with two little ones in there with us, so I definitely had to pull my own weight when it came to the "icky" stuff.  However, I figured out how to put a worm on the hook without ever having to touch the worm, and I even found myself taking the hooks out of the small fish we would catch.  (If you know me, these are big steps) If I ever get on here and say I've learned how to fillet them, slap me.  Because I'm telling you right now... NOT HAPPENING.
So, obviously my husband, who is an experienced fisherman, cleaned all the fish for us and cooked them.  I stood close by though, "supervising" and had him measure out ingredients so I could share with you how to have your very own fish fry.  I personally think the fish batter he makes is the best. 

Here's what you need:

Fish Fry Batter

*one cup flour

*one cup unseasoned breadcrumbs

*1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

*one tbls Lawry's season salt

*one tbls Season-All

*1/2 tsp salt

*1/2 tsp black pepper

*1/2 tsp Lawry's garlic salt

*one pound or so of lake fish fillets (we used crappies & sunnies)

*vegetable oil

*1 cup milk

*lemons

Fill a large skillet with about an inch or so of oil... just enough to cover the fillets.  Turn the heat up to medium high.  Meanwhile, rinse and pat dry all the fillets. Mix together the dry ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag and mix it all up well.  Pour milk into a shallow bowl.

Dip the fillets, one by one, into the milk, then into the bag to shake & coat well. Gently place into your frying pan in a single layer and fry for about 3-4 minutes per side.  The fish should just kind of "float" in the oil by themselves when done and flake easily. Remove to paper towels to drain. Slice lemons in half and squeeze over the fried fish. 

You can eat them with fries, chips, or even throw them into some taco shells with coleslaw, avocado and salsa for a tasty fish taco.  SO TOTALLY YUMMY!

To me, a fish fry is one of the ultimate items on a spring/summer bucket list. To me, it just symbolizes a family working together, having fun and enjoying time together. What's on your bucket list this summer??

Here are a few more pictures from our day of fishing...

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Ahhh, MN.  You are so confusing!  Yesterday we spent the whole day outside in the garden, enjoying the warm sunshine.  Today?  Not so much.  However, we like to make the best of a cold, rainy day. The girls and I met up with my Sweet Girl's school friends at a HUGE indoor park in the metro.  We had never been to Edinborough Park before today, but I can tell you we will definitely be back.  The kids had so much fun running, climbing and sliding with friends. By the time we got home, I had two exhausted girls on my hands, and let's be honest... I was pretty exhausted myself.


I'm a total soup lover, so any dreary weather is a good enough excuse for me to get a big old pot out and start cooking!  Today's choice was chicken wild rice.  I love creamy, delicious chicken wild rice soup with a baguette.  Oh!  And a parmesan crisp.  OH!  AND BACON! Droooooooolllllll. Plus, its easy to throw together which was perfect for today.
I suggest you give this a try.  Just. Do. It.

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

*3 cups cooked wild rice (when I cook the wild rice, I always make a

double batch and freeze for the next time I make soup)

*one cup of chopped celery

*3/4 cup chopped onion

*one tbls minced garlic

*salt & pepper

*1/4 c butter

*8oz fresh sliced baby portabella mushrooms

*2 cans cream of chicken soup

*2 cans cream of mushroom soup

*1.5 cups chicken broth

*4 cups shredded chicken breasts

*6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

*slivered or sliced almonds for garnish

*milk for desired consistency (I use about 3/4 cup)

Stir together soups and chicken broth. Set aside.

Melt butter and sauté celery, onion and mushrooms in a large pot.  Add soup mixture, chicken, wild rice, and some of the bacon. (Reserve some for garnish) Add milk to reach desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper and cook on low for 30 minutes or so.

Sometimes, I will serve this with a salad.  But today, it was a baguette and parmesan crisp.  If you've never had a parmesan crisp, you're totally missing out.  However, you're in luck!  They're super easy to make. 

Preheat your oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Grab about two tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese, drop it on the parchment paper and spread it out a bit into a small circle.  (you don't want a heaping pile or they won't crisp up) Put them in the oven and keep a close eye on them.  Wait until they melt and the sides just start to get a bit brown.  That's when they're PERFECT.
Enjoy, friends!


*you can follow me on IG or Pinterest @hautedishhousewife, and soon on FB at Haute Dish Housewife for more recipe ideas, crafts/DIY, my style and giveaways

Indulge

Cookie lovers, REJOICE!  Not only do I have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the whole world, but I made it even better by adding a few simple things... caramel and sea salt.  Yeaaaahhhh, you're welcome.
So, lately I've been trying to ditch the bad eating habits I tend to pick up over the winter months and make healthier choices. Let's be honest... we all wanna look super cute in a swimsuit.  French fries are not going to get me there.  I'm NOT talking diet, (because I pretty much hate that word) but more of a permanent change. A salad in place of fries, grilled veggies in place of potato... things like that.  However, that's not to say I don't let myself indulge a bit now and then.  Just more like once or twice a week rather than once or twice a day.  I have a few exceptions to my rules, of course.


1. Vacations don't count.  Vacations are all about the food, wine, sleep & sunshine.  Vacations are the definition of indulging. 
2. Entertaining.  When we have people over for dinner, the rules don't apply.
3. Wine.  I just like it too much.  Is there anything better than a Friday night dinner on the deck with a glass of wine?  Nope.


One of my favorite things to make when I'm looking to indulge is chocolate chip cookies.  I've tried MANY chocolate chip cookie recipes and when I came across this one, my search ended.  It's perfection, friends.  I'm totally certain you'll agree with me once you try them.  (Note: if you're looking for a healthy cookie recipe, this is NOT it.  For real. But it's SO worth it!)

Here's what you need to make:

Chocolate Chip Cookies With Caramel & Sea Salt

*one stick of unsalted butter

*3/4 cup butter Crisco

*one cup sugar

*one cup brown sugar

*2 eggs

*one tsp vanilla

*3 cups flour

*1/2 tsp salt

*1.5 tsp baking soda

*1.5 c chocolate chips

*jar of Smucker's caramel, heated in microwave for 30 seconds

*sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat Crisco, butter & sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  In separate bowl, whisk salt, flour and baking soda.  Gradually mix wet with dry.  Add chocolate chips. Place rounded balls of dough (about 1.5 tbls) onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Grab your jar of heated caramel and a spoon, and drizzle caramel over each cookie.  Then sprinkle a bit of sea salt over the caramel. 

You will seriously fall in love.

*you can follow me on IG or Pinterest @hautedishhousewife, and soon on FB at Haute Dish Housewife for more recipe ideas, crafts/DIY, my style and giveaways