Thursday, October 22, 2015

Hearty Beefy Hunter's Soup

Soup has always been a favorite of mine.  It's always been big in our family.  Growing up my mom was the cook in our family and she made dinner each and every night.  Except for weekends.  Weekends were up to my dad and looking back, I absolutely loved it.  We could always count on our little home smelling incredible by noon.  He took his Sunday cooking pretty seriously, with the kind of meals that would take a good portion of the day to make. His favorite was soup.  I would pull a chair up to the counter or stove when I was little (and then spent a lot of time looking over his shoulder when I got older) and I would watch him cover the meat with water, throw in some seasonings, bouillon and finely chopped veggies and let it simmer, simmer, simmer... all day long.  His final step would always be throwing in some super fine egg noodles and to this day REFUSES to make it with wide egg noodles. Now that I'm grown, I totally get it.  We all have our habits and our ways when it comes to cooking, especially if/when it reminds us of growing up. (Now I'm one as well, who refuses the wide noodles. Go figure!)
While I am completely in love with the soup my dad makes, I usually save that recipe and make a HUGE batch to freeze in individual portions.  It's perfection for when one of us are sick and need some good, healthy, broth-y home made chicken or beef soup.
I'd like to share a recipe that's just as incredible when it comes to taste and packed with big chunks of beef and vegetables.  It's full of flavor and best served with a warm, crusty, fresh-out-of-the-oven baguette.  This soup takes a few hours (which is a far cry from the 6-7 hours it takes to make the soup we would enjoy growing up) and it's worth every bit of time put into it.  It can be made ahead and tastes wonderful the following day, or even a few days after.  It can also be completely cooled and then frozen in individual portions.
I like to make this during the day while my husband is at work, the oldest is at school and I can enlist my youngest one to help me toss in veggies and shake the bag to coat the beef in seasoned flour.  It's one of my favorites to make on nights my Handsome Man is hunting close to home because I can just let it sit on the stove on low until he gets in. What's better than coming inside on a cool night to a warm baguette and dinner on the stove?  Yum!



So, get out your best soup pot and get started!


Hearty Beefy Hunter's Soup

*1-1.5 lbs chuck roast cut into chunks
*1/4 cup flour
*1 tsp paprika
*1 tsp pepper
*2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
*1 bay leaf
*2 Tbls worchestershire sauce
*2 Tbls olive oil
*2 Tbls butter
*1 shallot, minced
*3 garlic cloves, minced
*1/2 red onion, sliced
*1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced
*2 cups baby carrots, cut in half
*3-4 celery stalks, chopped
*3/4 lb small potatoes, quartered or cut into bit sized pieces (I used baby blondes)
*1 cup cabernet sauvignon
*4 cups beef broth

Combine flour, salt, pepper and paprika in a bag and mix.  Put chunks of beef into the bag and shake to coat. Grab a big soup pot and heat up one tablespoon of oil with one tablespoon of butter on medium high heat.  Carefully add beef in a single layer to brown.  Be careful not to crowd. You may need to do the beef in two or three batches.  Be careful not to over cook... you just want to brown the beef.
Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.  Turn heat to medium and heat up the last tablespoon of butter and oil, and then throw in the shallot and garlic. Let that go for a minute and add the celery, onion and carrots. Let that go for a bit until garlic and shallots are cooked.  Remove the veggies from the pot.  Add the cup of wine and deglaze pan by taking a spatula or soon and scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.  That's going to give you some great flavor!  Simmer the wine until it's reduced by about half.  Add back your meat, veggies and then add the potatoes.  Pour in the broth, worchestershire, bay leaf and Italian seasoning.  Let simmer for about 1-1.5 hours or so, or until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Grab a chunk of baguette and start dunking!



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

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Fall Into Mainstream

I'm SO digging the fall fashion these days, friends. I'm at the point where I don't even mind the cooler weather.  (Yet. Let's be honest... winter isn't my thing.)  But fall?  Fall is definitely my thing.
I walked into Mainstream Boutique in Savage to check out the latest and (after being greeted by warm smiles, of course) my heart did a little leap...

Beanies, you guys.  In beautiful, complimenting fall shades.  Then I checked out the price tag... you can get yours at a steal of a deal for only $14.  What says cozy like a cup of coffee, a beanie and some cute leggings?  Not much!
But more on that later...
FIRST, I want to introduce you to Dyana. 

She's a total doll, right?


Dyana opened Mainstream Boutique in Savage back in 2012.  She went to school for Fashion Merchandising & Apparel Design, and after working a few places she decided to open her own boutique... thank goodness for us!  Dyana does all the buying for the shop and doesn't take that job lightly in the least.  When she's not in the boutique making customers feel welcome and helping them find that perfect outfit, she's studying trend setting here in the Midwest to keep us looking cute.  Dyana makes a point to appeal to all age ranges and styles.  There really IS something for everyone.  If the steady stream of women all shapes, sizes, ages, etc. are any indication of how that's going, I'd say extremely well.

Side note: Check out this super cute customer!  She grabbed this gorgeous poncho ($56) and I just had to take her picture. She looked fantastic in it!


I asked Dyana out of curiosity what she felt makes her boutique successful, and after an, "Oh, you're so sweet," she told me that what she thought make a boutique successful is customer service, inventory and constant updates.  Mainstream Boutique in Savage has new inventory coming in DAILY.  Mannequins are consistently changed into new outfits.  There's always a feeling of new and exciting, which as a shopper, I absolutely love and appreciate!


Dyana only has the sweetest and most knowledgeable ladies in Midwest style helping her out at the boutique and Kelsey is one of them.  She goes out of her way to make you feel welcome and is quick to offer honest, helpful advice when it comes to finding what looks great on you. Here was her adorable pick of the day:

Sweater: $48 Leggings: $74 Long Sleeve Tank: $42


When I asked the ladies what their top choices would be for us women who need a bit of a fall wardrobe update, answers were pretty clear:

*High-waisted leggings (if you've never tried them, I swear... they are quite possibly
the greatest thing one could ever own.  They smooth you out, pull you in and
make you look even more gorgeous than you already are!)
*good pair of jeans & oversized sweater
*seamless camis
*boots or booties (pick a pair that's comfortable and wear them lots!)
*a fun scarf or two (an inexpensive way to change things up a bit)


So based on those suggestions, we put a few things together to share with you.

First is this super cute (and cozy) get up and go outfit.  The boots are comfortable and the sweater just couldn't be softer. 

Plus I'm head over heels for this beautiful bracelet and necklace. My accessory game is stepped up as of NOW.
Sweater: $54, Jeans: $79, Boots: $42, Scarf: $24, Necklace: $62, Bracelet: $54

This might be my favorite. Why?  Three words... High. Waisted. Leggings.  For real, friends. Life changing. Annnnnnd this cute beanie?  I'm seriously digging burgundy and mustard this season.

Another cute bracelet, just because. 

This necklace is gorgeous and can also dub as an equally gorgeous wrap around bracelet. I love that!
Dress: $34, Long Tank: $36, High Waisted Legging: $36, Bracelet: $32, Necklace: $85, Beanie: $14, Bootie: $52



Gasp!  Be still, my heart! I looooooooove plaid! 
And how cute is this top? 

 This simple bracelet is my fav and would go with nearly anything.
Jeans: $98, Top: $48, Scarf: $24, Plaid Coat: $82, Booties: $52, Bracelet: $22


Last, but certainly not least, this adorable outfit had me at "flannel." Flannel is IT this fall, and this shirt dress was the just the cutest with these fleece lined hunter green leggings.  They were amazingly soft and warm.


Of course, there is the beanie and that could've been why I loved this outfit so much.  Or maybe it was this beautiful, custom made bracelet by one of our talented local artists?


These boots were made for Midwest walkin'.  Warm, cozy AND cute!


Throw on a fun cardigan to change up the look a bit.  Cute, right?

Flannel Shirt Dress: $66, Cardi: $68, Fleece Legging: $20, Bracelet: $45, Boot: $48, Beenie: $14, Belt: $18

Like what you see?  You can easily order by calling Mainstream Boutique in Savage 952-440-4020.
They'll ship directly to your door for only $6.95 and you'll get to experience their fantastic customer service yourself! Be sure to follow Mainstream Boutique on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mainstreamboutiquesavagemn and on Instagram @mainstreamboutiquesavagemn


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

Monday, October 5, 2015

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Years before my husband and I were married, I would make this dish for him and it became a fav of his. He likes it because it's cheesy and topped with stuffing and I love it because not only is it delicious, but it's so easy to throw together and pop in the oven.  Plus it's got lots of melty swiss cheese and who in their right mind can resist that, right??!!

While we went out this past weekend and celebrated our wedding anniversary (more on that in a later blog post) I figured I'd post one of our fav recipes from when I first started cooking for him.  It says a lot about a dish when 13 years later we are still making it!
Wait for a nice cool night, make this dish and snuggle up with your loved ones afterwards for a game or movie night.  Cozy bliss.
Here's what you need to make this simple, cheesy and pleasey (I know it's technically not a word, but kinda should be):


Cheesy Chicken Casserole

*3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
*one can cream of chicken soup
*1/4 can of milk (I use the empty soup can and fill it 1/4 full of 2% milk)
*6-8 slices of swiss cheese
*one box of Stove Top chicken stuffing

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9x13 inch dish with non-stick spray and line bottom with the chicken breasts. In a bowl, whisk together the can of cream of chicken soup and 1/4 can of milk.  Whisk it until it's creamy and well mixed... no lumps! Pour over the chicken breasts and then top with slices of swiss cheese.  Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.  Prepare the box of stove top stuffing according to package directions and then spoon that on top of the chicken and cheese.  Bake for about 5-10 more minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Such a crowd pleaser!


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

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Fall for Fashion

Oh, Fall.  How I love thee... Let me count the ways.
Hayrides, pumpkin spice lattes, cozy blankets, pumpkin patches, apple picking, fall baking, comfort food, bonfires, football games, the beautiful fall colors on the trees... I think we could all agree that the list goes on and on. I must say, however, what tops my list of fall favorites is FALL FASHION!
Boots of every kind, cardigans, jackets, cozy sweaters and sweatshirts, jeans in every fit, taking a few favs from summer and changing them up with a cute jacket and/or leggings. I absolutely adore the amazing style fall brings.  My fav place to go and check out the latest styles this chillier weather has to offer?  Mainstream Boutique in Savage, MN. Mainstream Boutique in Savage is very well known in the area for it's ammmmaaaazing customer service, (seriously friends, it's second to none) new items DAILY so you can always find that perfect outfit for any occasion and their reasonable prices.  Bonus?  Follow Mainstream Boutique in Savage on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mainstreamboutiquesavagemn and you will not only be privy to the daily arrivals but you will also get to claim the discounts and deals they offer on a monthly basis.  Who doesn't love a good deal?!?!

I went to Mainstream Boutique in Savage earlier this week and met with Dyana and Kelsey to put together some things to share with you. They're absolutely fabulous when it comes to throwing together the perfect outfit and sharing style tips for accessorizing and layering, which can REALLY come in handy. Especially if you're from the Midwest like us and could quite possibly encounter numerous weather conditions in a matter of 24 hours.  No joke.


First, we have this super cute (not to mention amazingly comfortable) little combo.



A few things I fell in love with about this outfit is the jacket, shoes and jeans. The jacket is so versatile, mostly because of it's removable hood. It makes it easy to pair with jeans, but then can look fantastic with a little black dress, which you'll see in a bit.


These booties are honestly the BEST.  I may have actually shed a tear when I had to give them back. They were as comfortable as a tennis shoes.  Seriously.  And cute as heck.  Obviously... see?



These little tree earrings were the cutest and totally scream fall.  Don't you think??


If it gets a bit warmer throughout the day and you want to remove the jacket, you're STILL gonna look super cute in this adorable cream colored peasant top which is very much in this fall.



Leather Jacket: $76, Peasant Top: $46, Jeans: $82, Shoes: $52, Earrings: $14, Bracelet: $22

Next, we took the same stylish leather jacket and paired with a little black dress and an amazingly cozy scarf.  The dress has 3/4 sleeves so again, if you get warm and need to ditch the jacket and scarf, you'll still be very comfortable!



Aren't these earrings cute?



Again... all about the shoes, my friends.

Leather Jacket: $76, Dress: $66, Scarf: $24, Shoes: $52, Earrings: $18


In this next ensemble, we took that same black dress and paired it with the perfect sweater cardigan.  It made me think of hot chocolate and fireplaces, to be honest.  OR if you're sitting at your desk and can't get rid of that outside chill, this is perfect for that.



The necklace with this outfit was such a star and I pictured it being a fav in my closet.




Sweater Cardigan: $66, Dress: $66, Shoes: $52, Earrings: $18, Necklace: $26


Like what you see?  You can easily order by calling Mainstream Boutique in Savage 952-440-4020.
They'll ship directly to your door for only $6.95 and you'll get to experience their fantastic customer service yourself! Be sure to follow Mainstream Boutique on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mainstreamboutiquesavagemn and on Instagram @mainstreamboutiquesavagemn


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

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

To The Pointe... My Girls Are Getting So Big!

Mom Life.  It's NOT the easy life.  Whether you are a stay-at-home-mom, a full time or part time working outside the home mom, married mom, divorced mom, single mom... We all have our struggles. But it's a rewarding life.  It's one where we are happy when the day is done, kissing our beautiful children goodnight and then enjoying a bit of silence... but LOVE seeing their messy little bedheads in the morning.  It's a bittersweet feeling when a birthday rolls around.  We are happy to see them meeting milestones, seeing them learn and grow. However, it's heartbreaking knowing that year 3 is done and no longer can you refer to them as a toddler. Or when Kindergarten has ended and you officially have a FIRST grader.  
Moms are busy.  Parents are busy.  So when something comes around to make our lives a bit easier, I'm all for it!
My sweet girls are 3 years and 3 days apart. That means we have not one, but two birthday's to celebrate.  We usually combine the girls friend party and then do a small family party for each.  I came across the very best thing to ever happen to birthday parties...

To The Pointe! Dance Academy in New Prague, MN




They're local, very reasonable, FUN and the best part for us busy moms... They basically take care of everything.  I'm talking everything from the cutest dance party invitations (see, I'm right... right??)

to the matching "thank you" cards. AND everything in between.  I walked into a gorgeously decorated dance studio




with gorgeously decorated cupcakes (you get to choose your own flavor... hellooooo, strawberry!)



with three wonderful dance party hosts/organizers to keep the kids busy, organize activities AND handle clean up.  (Yes, you heard me right. They even take care of clean up.)

My tiny dancers and their fabulous party guests enjoyed 1.5 hours of crafting, dancing, and cupcake eating.  



Then at pick-up, all the little ones lined up and performed a dance for us parents.  My girls had chosen jazz as their dance type, and got to perform to "Welcome to New York" by *gasp* Taylor Swift, but To The Pointe! Dance Academy in New Prague is SO accommodating... They can seriously pull off ANY party theme.  Musical theater, jazz, tap, ballet, show choir, hip hop (just to name a few)... AND they'll even throw in something like the ever popular Frozen for your Elsa and Anna obsessed cutie, or a Pirate Party for your handsome little Jake and the Neverland Pirate admirer. Your little one and their guests DO NOT need any dance experience to enjoy these fantastic parties. My kids jumped in the car at the end of the party, and my Little One says, "BEST DAY EVER" at the same time as my Sweet Girl says, "I want to do that again next year for our birthday party!" I had moms come up to me this week to tell me that their little girl (who had no previous dance experience) had the greatest time ever at our To The Pointe! Dance Academy dance party.

My point is (see what I did there?)... To The Pointe! Dance Academy in New Prague can really make a birthday party hassle free and easy for parents, but so incredibly fun for your birthday girl or boy. It was completely magical for them and for me.  It was so wonderful to sit back and really watch my children and their friends have fun dancing, crafting and interacting.

You can learn more about the wonderful birthday parties at To The Pointe! Dance Academy in New Prague by checking out their website at www.tothepointedanceacademy.com or email them at tothepointedanceacademynp@gmail.com

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Potato Leek Soup

Sometimes I find inspiration in the most unexpected places. My family and I recently had dinner at Celt's Craft House in Apple Valley. One would possibly hear the words "craft house" and automatically think, "Oh!  They have bar food." That's exactly what I thought and was totally mistaken.  They took bar food to the next level.  The burgers, the steak bites, (which were tender and cooked to perfection) the onion strings... all amazing. But one thing really stood out in my mind and that was their potato leek soup.  It was creamy, filling and perfectly garnished with sour cream and snippets of green onion.  Even my husband, who could possibly be one of the pickiest eaters on the face of the planet, enjoyed it.
Having never tasted a leek before, let alone cook with one, I set out and did some recipe research.  I wanted to perfectly replicate the delicious bowl of soup I had just a few weeks before.  After trying a few different things, I came up with a recipe that I'm totally happy with!
Doesn't this look AMAZING?  I promise, it tastes just as good.

If you've never cooked with leeks before, don't let that intimidate you. They're easy peasy!  I wouldn't use the hard leafy tops (maybe save to throw in to make a big pot of stock?) but the white and the very light green parts at the bottom are where it's at!
Best part?  It couldn't be easier to throw together.  If you're really pressed for time, this would be a great soup to throw together over the weekend and reheat on a busy night or for lunch the next day. It's very filling!
Check out the recipe below:


Creamy Potato Leek Soup

*3 medium size russet potatoes, cleaned, peeled and chopped
*3-4 celery stalks, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
*3 leeks, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
*1 bay leaf
*1 tsp dried thyme
*4 cups of chicken broth or stock (I used Swanson's since I
didn't have homemade on hand)
*1/2 c heavy cream
*salt & pepper to taste
*sour cream
*chopped green onions

Throw potatoes, leeks, celery, bay leaf, thyme and some salt and pepper into a soup pot with the chicken broth.  

Let boil for 15-20 minutes or just until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.  CAREFULLY put into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add everything back to the soup pot, turn on low and add the cream.  Add some more slat and pepper to taste.  Let simmer on very low for about 20 minutes. Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with a few green onions.  Perfect!  It's pretty and completely delicious.  I think you'll agree!


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


Sunday, September 20, 2015

Hellooooo, Bok Choy!

About a year ago I was at a housewarming party and tried a salad that was to die for delicious.  It was made with (GASP) bok choy.  Before this, I had never even tried bok choy (other than the bit they throw into my Chinese take out) but now that I had and loved it, I was determined to find a recipe to try on my own at home.


Bok choy is known for it's mild flavor and is wonderful in stir fry's and soups.  You can eat it raw as well, which is how I use it in this recipe.  I read up a bit on bok choy (yes, I'm a tad nerdy like that)and found that not only is it yummy,  but it's packed with vitamins A & C. Just one cup provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A and close to 2/3 of the RDA of vitamin C.  Trust me when I say you will eat more than one cup of this salad. It's low calorie but rich in anti-oxidants. So good, right??


I just get totally thrilled when I find something new that I love and usually go a bit overboard with recipe testing using that star ingredient. It's just how I roll.  So if you come to my house and I'm on a bok choy binge, don't be alarmed.  Something tells me after you try this salad, you'll be hooked as well.  The crunch from the sunflower seeds, sliced almonds and ramen are addicting and the dressing is so sweet and mouthwatering. Make it for lunch, dinner, as a side dish, share at a potluck... just MAKE IT!



Bok Choy Salad


*one bunch of bok choy, rinse and chop
*one package of ramen noodles, crushed (discard seasoning packet.  I just used 1/2
of the package and added more nuts instead for crunch.)
*one handful shelled sunflower seeds
*one handful sliced almonds
*2-3 green onions, chopped
*2 tbls Nanko rice vinegar
*1/4 c olive oil + 1 tsp
*one tsp butter
*1/2 tbls soy sauce
*one tsp toasted sesame seeds OR 1/2 tsp sesame oil
*1/4 c sugar
*pinch of salt

Melt one tsp olive oil and butter together in a large sauté pan.  Throw in ramen noodles, seeds and almonds. Stir often and sauté until golden, but be careful not to burn them. In a shallow bowl mix together 1/4 c olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil or seeds, sugar, rice vinegar and salt.  Whish until well mixed.  Put boy choy and green onions in a big bowl, add noodles, seeds and nuts and pour dressing over it all.  Done!  Easy and delicious!

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