Fun for the 4th!

Independence, freedom and those men & women who fight for our country are definitely things to be celebrated.  I love the Fourth of July!  The mood is so light, happy, family & friend oriented and, of course, everyone young and old is proudly wearing the colors of our beautiful American flag. It's a wondeful thing, friends.
This year, in honor of Independence Day, I thought it would be fun to make and bring up some super cute Fourth of July sippers. I had mason jars on hand from all of the canning my Handsome Man & I do during the summer and fall months, and then after a quick run to Michael's Craft Store (specifically the dollar section) I had everything I needed to put these festive glasses together.
They didn't take long at all (the stamping on the tags took up the most time... about 10 minutes) and I just know all the girls up at the cabin will fall in love with our matching sippers!

What do you think?  Adorable, huh?

Whatever you do to celebrate our great nation on Independence Day, I hope you have a wonderful, safe holiday weekend!
xoxo,
HDHW


*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.

Huevos Rancheros Heaven

I just love how certain food can be used for both breakfast and dinner... egg bakes, steak and eggs, bacon and egg grilled cheese, etc.  My favorite is huevos rancheros, and I recently made the PERFECT home made ranchero sauce to spoon over it.  It was the greatest balance of spicy, smoky and 100% delicious.  I even made a big enough batch so I has some leftover to share. YUM!
Use this sauce to spoon over huevos rancheros, scrambled eggs or you could even add it to your breakfast sandwich to give it a flavor boost.
When I make huevos rancheros, I start by frying two corn tortillas in a bit of oil for about 30 seconds per side. Lay on a towel to drain. Grab a plate and start stacking... Corn tortilla, a spoonful of your fav refried beans, (I grab some from our fav Mexican restaurant) top with another corn tortilla. Top that with some cheese, (I like to use a combo of queso fresco and bit of cheddar) and then add one or two fried eggs. Add a big spoonful of the ranchero sauce and top with chunks of avocado, a dollop of sour cream, more cheese, (duh!) and sprinkle it all with some fresh cilantro.  It really is delicious perfection there, folks.

This ranchero sauce just couldn't be easier.  Here's what you need:

Ranchero Sauce

*one tbls olive oil

*1/2 medium size onion

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*one jalapeño, seeded and chopped

*one 15oz can of fire roasted tomatoes (I use the muir glen brand)

*1/2 cup of chicken broth

*small handful of cilantro, chopped

*one tbls dried oregano

*one chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped PLUS 1/2 tbls adobo sauce (I found a can at Target)

*1/4 teas salt

*pinch of pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet and add onion, garlic and jalapeño. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, cilantro, oregano, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Cool and then blend until smooth. 

So, sooooooooo good. Enjoy your weekend, 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.

Berry Season is HERE!

I really couldn't be happier.  I look forward to fresh berries every year.  This year is our second year having a strawberry patch and we've been getting quite a few strawberries.  But when I need a LOT of strawberries, I go to Lorence's Berry Farm in Northfield, grab a big box and start picking. 
I usually bring the kiddos along to help me pick, but let's get real.... they do far more eating than saving.  This morning my mother-in-law, the kids and I packed up the car and made the 20 minute drive to the berry farm.  It was sunny, warm with a light breeze... it was perfect.  We picked 15 pounds of fresh strawberries, stopped and had a nice lunch together... it was a really great morning! 

In my last blog post, I shared a recipe for my favorite strawberry rhubarb jam.  This time, I'm sharing my favorite muffin recipe made with strawberries.  I believe it's one I've shared before, but I'm telling you... they're that good.  You need to try them.  You will never ever but a store bought muffin again. Plus, they're made with brown butter.  Brown butter.  (pause to wipe the drool) If you've never had a muffin made with brown butter, prepare yourself to fall in sweet, brown buttery love.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

*7 tablespoons butter, browned and cooled

*1/3 cup buttermilk

*1 egg

*1 egg yolk

*1 tsp vanilla

*1.5 cups flour

*1.5 tsp baking powder

*3/4 cup sugar

*pinch of salt

*1.5 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

Set the oven to 375 and prepare your muffin pan. Whisk buttermilk, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in cooled brown butter. In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add the wet to the dry and mix. Then add berries.  Spoon into your muffin cups.  THEN top with a streusel topping... 3 tbls very cold butter, 1/2 cup flour and 3 tbls sugar.  Crumble with fingers until crumbley. (is that a word??) Sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake for 20 minutes.

Yeaaaahhhh, a streusel topping.  I couldn't get my mind off the brown butter and had forgotten all about the streusel topping.  Shame on me!

Try these!  Let me know if you love them as much as I do.

*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.

That's My Jam!

I'm a gal with a schedule.  I always have a plan.  Week to week, day to day, I plan things out as best as I can.  Days with my girls, recipes and outfits and such on my blog, date nights with my husband, time with my girlfriends...
But sometimes, life will throw us a curveball. 
This weekend was one of those times.  Our little dog, Pixie, started having some health problems over the weekend.  What they had originally thought was an allergic reaction has turned into a concern for an auto-immune disease for our poor little Pixie.  She has been absolutely MISERABLE for 3-4 full days now, and my energetic little ball of fur (she will be two in August) has turned into a depressed pup in pain.  My heart is just so sad for her.  My days have been spent on the phone with vets, at pet hospitals and managing her different medications.  My nights have been spent snuggling with her and trying to make her comfortable.
Play dates have been cancelled, our planned dance schedule has been changed and my blogging and household chores have all taken a backseat.  I'm trying to stick around the house as much as possible to keep a close eye on her.


However, I have managed to sneak in a few moments here and there to work on some new recipes.  One thing I made this week that was simple and so delicious was strawberry rhubarb jam.  Our strawberry patch (which we started last year and MAYBE got a handful of strawberries from) has been producing like crazy, which makes me smile... because fresh strawberries are the best. My rhubarb came from a super sweet friend of mine who felt sorry for me that the rhubarb I planted this year, died.  (I'm still hopeful it will come back next year! Fingers crossed!)
This was my first year making strawberry rhubarb jam, but I can say with confidence that it certainly won't be the last year!  My only regret is that I only had enough ingredients for a small batch.  Feel free to double, triple, or quadruple this delicious recipe.
 

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

*3 cups chopped rhubarb (I chop it up pretty small)

*4.5 cups of white sugar

*6 cups of strawberries, chopped in half

*1/2 cup of lemon juice

Put a  spoon from your silverware drawer into the freezer... you'll need this in a bit!

Mix chopped rhubarb and sugar up in a large pot and let sit for about 2 hours.  Then add strawberries and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil and stir often to avoid burning. 

I use a potato masher and mash it all up as I stir it because I'm not a big fan of chunky jam.  Let it boil rapidly for about 20-25 minutes. Stir. Mash. Stir. Mash.  Lower the heat and grab your spoon from the freezer.  Dip it into the jam, and watch the liquid fall off the spoon.  It won't have a jam consistency until it cools, but it should look like it's thickened up a bit.

Process with jars, lids and rims that have been sterilized in boiling water.  This works best if everything is still hot.  Pour your hot jam into sterilized jars and process according to manufacturers instructions.  I personally process mine for about 10 minutes, remove and let cool on a towel on the countertop. When its cooled, I put the jars into the fridge to let them thicken up a bit before I use or gift them.  I put it on toast, over ice cream, in desserts and frostings, etc.  So sweet and delicious!

Prayers for my sweet pup are so appreciated.

xoxo, 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.

Trend to Try: The Jumpsuit

Jumpsuits... I've really been loving them lately.  I love how you can dress them up, or down, or go with a fun, boho-chic look like we did with this colorful Desigual jumpsuit. Pair with some heels and a few great accessories... the look is pretty effortless but completely eye-catching and lovely.

Ericka at cranky Alice is the Queen of accessorizing and was quick to pick out the PERFECT headband.  I've always been a bit intimidated by headbands, but gave it a try and fell in love. Friends, if you're ever second guessing yourself when it comes to accessories... just go for it! 
Isn't this headband the cutest?  I think it not only compliments this look, but would be great with jeans and a tee, as well.

The necklace is simple, beautiful and perfect for this outfit. 

 

This wrap watch is fantastic. I rarely wear a watch, but this was just too good to turn down. It's so comfortable, not to large... ideal for work or weekend wear!

Jumpsuit: Desigual $124

Necklace: $22

Wrap Watch: $45

Headband: $30

Shop this fabulous look by calling cranky Alice at (952) 758-4933. Mention Haute Dish  Housewife and receive 10% off your order until 6/15/15.

*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.

Fettuccine with Asiago Alfredo

Coming off a long girls weekend is tough!  We ate, drank, shopped and danced our way through New Orleans... all in super cute shoes.  I had so much fun, but I have to admit that it was really great to get home to my husband and kids.  My list of to-dos to catch up on  from being gone for five days seems to be forever long but I'm s-l-o-w-l-y getting there, and the time away was totally worth it.


It was my first time in New Orleans.  First time experiencing Bourbon Street, first time seeing the beautiful architecture it has to offer & my first time trying gumbo of ANY kind. (the seafood gumbo at Tableau was fantastic) But if you know me... you know I'm a total pasta lover, and that was one thing I didn't see much of in New Orleans. By the time I got home I was ready for my carbs!


One thing I don't order much of in restaurants is fettuccini alfredo.  I make one at home that is to die for and so versatile I can do pretty much anything with it.  I love that it's made with asiago, which is my fav.  It's creamy, rich and when you're craving pasta... it really hits the spot!

Looks pretty fantastic, huh?

Here's what you need to do to make your own big pot of creamy deliciousness...

Fettuccine with Asiago Alfredo

*8oz fettucine pasta, cooked al dente

*2 tbls real butter

*one large boneless skinless chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper, and then cut into chunks

*8oz portabella mushrooms, sliced (you can use large or baby bells,

and just cut them to the size you desire)

*1.5 cups of heavy cream

*one teas minced garlic

*1/3 cup asiago cheese, shredded

*a bit of parmesan for sprinkling

*salt & pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown chicken and mushrooms in butter over medium high heat.  Add garlic and cook for a minute, being careful not to burn. Then add cream. Season with a bit more salt and pepper. Keep over medium high heat and stir often. It will start to thicken, and as it thickens you'll want to turn the heat down. Add the asiago cheese and stir.  Remove from heat and stir a bit more so it gets nice and creamy.  Serve over cooked fettuccine and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Add a bit of fresh parsley if you want a nice pop of color.

I like to serve this with a yummy side salad or some garlic bread. Or both.  (Who am I trying to kid, right?)

Make this and let me know what you think!  I've made this meatless, (as shown in the photo above) added more veggies (asparagus and red onion really add some taste) and have also thrown in some grilled shrimp.  Delicious, every time!


*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.

Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Scones

I'm not gonna lie to you... these scones are totally drool worthy.  Plus, they're made with buttermilk, which in my humble opinion, make any scone or muffin ten times better. Plus, they have a delicious icing... yeah.  You must make them.
Now that school is out and our morning aren't so rushed, it's a bit easier to plan some yummy breakfasts.  This one tops the list!  With fresh strawberries and white chocolate chips, they're pretty much irresistible.  I made these scones over the weekend because by some twisted turn of events, I was up way before my children. I just couldn't sleep!  That's the worst... laying in bed.  Thinking. Thinking.  Thinking.  Then... SCONES!  I hopped up from under the covers and headed downstairs, praying I had all the ingredients.  I had a big carton of fresh strawberries from Costco and then when I went to the freezer to check if I had flour, (yes, I'm the weirdo that keeps flour in the freezer) I noticed a half a bag of white chocolate chips and decided to throw them into the scones as well.  It certainly wasn't my worst idea ever!

These don't take long to throw together, and bake up pretty quickly.  By the time the smell of fresh baked scones drifts throughout your home, everyone (even your pickiest child... ahem, I'm talking to my youngest) will be gathered around the kitchen ready to gobble up breakfast. I let them cool for about 10 minutes, tops.  Because warm, fresh scones are where it's at!!

Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Scones

*2 cups of flour

*1/2 cup sugar

*2.5 teas baking powder

*1/2 teas cinnamon

*1/2 teas salt

*1/2 cup/one stick of butter, SUPER cold (I stick mine in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or so while gathering ingredients and making my coffee)

*1/2 cup buttermilk

*one egg

*one teas vanilla extract

*1 cup of chopped strawberries (lay them between a few paper towels and gently press out a bit of the extra moisture.  If the berries are really juicy, they'll change the consistency of the batter and it may get to runny.)

*1/2 cup white chocolate chips

*some extra course sugar to top scones with

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon & salt. Grate frozen butter or cut up into very small squares and combine with the flour mix using your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, & vanilla. Add to the flour mix and combine using a spatula until all is moistened. Be careful not to over mix! Fold in strawberries and white chocolate chips.

Work dough into a ball with lightly floured hands and press into an 8" disk or into a round cake pan. Cut into 8 equal wedges. Sprinkle with some sugar and then bake for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile...

Icing

*one cup powdered sugar

*3 tbls heavy whipping cream

*1/4 teas vanilla extract

Whisk together until an icing forms and drizzle over hot scones.

Your husband, kids, parents, friends, etc. will absolutely LOVE these!  So will you.  In fact, I suggest you be the first to "taste test." You deserve it!

*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.

One Girls' Getaway... Coming Right Up!

I'm on cloud 9. In just a few short days, I'm packing my bags with the cutest stuff I own, hopping on a plane and heading to New Orleans with the most fabulously fun group of girls I know! The gorgeous shops, amazing restaurants, luxe spas... and, of course, the FOOD.  Sigh.... I just really couldn't be more excited!
Most days, my eyes open and I'm immediately busy until they close again at night.  Running after the girls, driving them here and there, the constant cleaning and breaking up arguments, etc.  The life of a stay at home mom never really serves up many dull moments, and I really do love it.  But just like anyone else, a break from the norm is often times very welcomed.
 I can't wait to read a book, eat dinner or have a conversation without interruptions.  I DREAM of staying out past midnight and sleeping in past 7am.  Brunch at a delicious restaurant, surrounded by the beautiful architecture in the French Quarter, accompanied by a glass of Champagne?  Why not??!! 

I had to do some shopping and treat myself to some new clothes for my trip. I'm lucky enough to live in a town that boasts cute, local clothing shops.  My fav?...  cranky Alice. (on IG as @crankyAlice or on FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/cranky-Alice  )

Would you just look at this??  Comfortable, flattering and made in the USA, baby! (Champagne s'il vous plait shirt and lace detail slip tank made by PPLA, a USA co)

I walk in and want pretty much every single thing I see, every time.  I think you'll agree when you see what cranky Alice has to offer. I mean, am I right?? #OOTD, for sure!

Fringe Handbag $99

Mia & Moss Cashmere Denim Camden Cropped Skinny $99 (sizes 2-8 available.  These are SO comfortable)

Champagne s'il vous plait $39 (size small still available, but limited... so order yours fast!)

Willow lace detail slip tank $46 (size S-L available)

Check out these bracelets!  Cute, stackable and totally affordable. The best part?  The collection is by Chavez for Charity, and 25% of the profits from each bracelet goes towards charities such as Best Friends Animal Society, Water.org, The Matthew Shepard Foundation, as well as others.  Each color represents a different charity, so the more you purchase, the more charities you help. Stack up those accessories!

Bracelets by Chavez for Charity $10 each, available in various colors representing different charites.

ALL clothes and bracelets above are available at cranky Alice. You can call 952-758-4933 to place your order and have this shipped right to your door. Easy peasy! Take 10% off your purchase until 6/15/15 just by mentioning Haute Dish Housewife. You're welcome!

 

*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.