You know you're from Wisconsin when...

That's right, you know you're from Wisconsin when...

You have a real hankering for brats in February!

Lucky for us, Johnsonville keeps our stores stocked year round! So a short jaunt down the block and SCORE... we have a cookout in February!

Cook out complete with baked beans, pasta salad, brats... of course and coleslaw (homemade I might add!)

Hope all your Bar-b-Ques are scrumptious! ☺

Dining In... or Dining Out?

For Valentine's day, we were going to Dinner & then to see Celtic Woman. Dinner & a show is a common occurrence for lots of couples on "Love Day." The reason I think this is blog worthy is because of a conversation Chris & I had in deciding where to go to dinner.

Because the economy is weighing on so many minds (not to mention how it's affecting people's budgets) many people scaled back for Valentine's dinner this year. No $180 steak & lobster dinners, but rather just a nice quiet evening out at a more reasonable establishment.

We were bouncing around options between our home and the Theater we were going to... Chili's, Applebee's, Texas Roadhouse and our local family owned restaurant. The timing was critical as our show started at 8:00 and we wanted to be able to park and get our seats without breaking the sound barrier. ☺

The more we got to talking, the more our conversation sparked commercialism vs. community loyalty. In this difficult time, the big chain restaurants have advertising dollars from deep down in corporate pockets. They have the branding because of their huge advertising budgets to draw a crowd any day of the week. While the server's tips are important to that individual person, much of your dining experience is impersonal and cold.

The small mom & pop diner on the other hand, they really feel the pinch in tough times. They don't have the funding to do huge television advertising campaigns - and in some cases, even the newspaper advertising is ridiculously expensive and cost-prohibitive. Regardless of cost however, they always provide service with a smile and often they recognize their customers by face. We are all part of the same community, so much of the time, they have supported the local school programs and athletic teams. Yet these are the shops, stores & restaurants that people tend to overlook because of America's commercialism and advertising.

Let the purpose of this post remind you to be loyal to local business owners. In many cases, it's Mom, Dad and all the kids that have built the business from the ground up. They've put in their blood, sweat & tears to create business and jobs in the community. In some cases it's been handed down from previous generations. But in any case, when people tighten their purse strings, their businesses tend to be forgotten.

We had a wonderful dinner at our local restaurant and they were really grateful we came. We had no problem getting a seat (but when we drove past Chili's on the way, the parking lot was overflowing and the wait was at least 30 minutes). We had way more than we could eat and we know our two meals really made a difference to the family that owns that restaurant!

I wish you many happy meals and prosperous times ahead!

Meatloaf So Delicious We Forgot the Picture

Yes, dinner last night was absolutely scrumptios... after baking in the oven for 45 minutes, the kitchen smelled heavenly... and we were starving. So I'll share with you the recipe and you'll have to make it for yourself to see how good it looks & tastes!

"This is the best meatloaf I've ever eaten... even better than the Cheesecake Factory's meatloaf, and theirs was very good." - Chris D.

Lil' Cheddar Meat Loaves
(adopted from www.TasteofHome.com)
Ingredients:
1 Egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped onion (but I used 1 Tbsp. of dried onion flakes - much less acidic = no heartburn later!) :)
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 lbs ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1.5 tsp. prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk egg & milk... (yes, manually whisking, not using the mixer burns more calories and is better for you!) Stir in cheese, oats, onion (or onion flakes) and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. I knead beef in by hand. It's the best mixer you've got AND it's great for relieving stress!

Now the recipe calls for you to make 8 mini loaves (individual serving sized) but I prefer 1 full sized loaf. So I greased a regular size bread loaf pan. And formed the beef mixture in the pan.

In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar & mustard. Spoon over top of the meatloaf.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Best served with brown & serve rolls and mashed potatoes! Trust me, by the time the meatloaf is ready, your sense of smell is going to drive you crazy... and you too won't have the patience to snap a picture!

What's New?

Happy Sunday Morning to all! I haven't blogged in a while, but not to worry, I have been eating!

When the temps drop to -10 with wind chills around -35 here in WI, we get to pretend we're Eskimos! We make all sorts of heart, rib sticking, delicious meals that warm you up from the inside. We've had a big crock pot of Chili... which is always better the 2nd day. We've had baked spaghetti - good every time! Lots of hearty soups & sandwiches.

So the foods been good, the opportunities are abundant and that means we've been busy! But busy is good and we're enjoying our days working very hard and moving forward!

Hope you're days are delectable and prosperous!
Dawn

Eat Your Veggies!!!

Isn't that what your mom told you growing up... you have to eat your veggies?! And no matter how much you kicked and screamed or didn't like broccoli, if it was on your plate you had to eat it!

Well living in the frigid Wisconsin climate in the winter makes getting good veggies very difficult... well, impossible actually. Everything is imported so it's picked while it's still green - translate - it isn't ripe, and doesn't have the full spectrum of nutrients.

Not to mention, by the time it hits the produce department at your local market, it's been truck hopping for a few weeks! So where's the "good stuff" there?

When we went out with friends last weekend, we had a pre-party gathering at one of the couple's homes. The app that stole the show was this incredible Winter Salsa! It was so fresh and delicious, we couldn't get enough. Honestly, it's one of the best salsa's I've ever had. And at this time of the year, to have such a fresh tasting dish was rejuvinating! I had to have the recipe!

So here it is... Winter Salsa~
2 small cans (15 oz. each) Petite Diced Tomatoes Mexican Style
1 large can (28 oz) Petite Diced Tomatoes (regular, no seasoning)
2-3 jalepenos
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1-2 limes juiced (really just to taste, so do 1 at a time)
Salt (to your taste preference)
1 tsp. Ground Cumin (may add more if you prefer)
2 medium onions (or 1 lg. onion) chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro chopped (use more or less depending on your taste)

Mix all together and serve with your favorite tortilla chips! It tastes so fresh, you'll think it came straight from your garden... no kidding!

Warming yourself from the inside out!

As we're bracing ourselves for the frigid, arctic air we're needing to find ways to stay warm. Temps are dropping to -10 air temp (wind chill is even colder) so we need to use all our energies to stay warm. Take a look at what we already have for snow and know that this is just the beginning... there's another 5"+ on the way!

Again, I find my new veggie peeler and turn to a comforting bowl of oatmeal. My favorite is apple cinnamon. And it's one of the more healthy comfort foods ... A whole apple, cinnamon, and oats (great fiber), it's hearty and delicious!

I hope you have delicious, warm days ahead. Whatever warms you up from the inside... make it and enjoy! Home cooked, comforting and delicious!

Recommended Kitchen Must Have!

Comfort Food... that's A-peeling...

Yes, pun intended. As we brace ourselves here in SE Wisconsin for yet another snow storm, I seem to find myself reaching toward comfort food. I had heard on the Today show about a month ago that in tough times, two of the the foods people find most comforting are Spaghetti & Ice Cream.

Gee... I'm not surprised, I'm really just a statistic! I have ice cream every single week (often multiple times) and I LOVE spaghetti... it's quick & easy to make... and yes, comforting.

But lately I have a new comfort.

For Christmas, my brother Greg gave me the most incredible vegetable peeler. Now most people won't get excited over a veggie peeler, but this is the creme-de-la-creme of peelers. It's a strong peeler with a great, sharp blade. (Apparently he didn't care for my cheap rendition of a veggie peeler meets 10 lbs. of potatoes last time I hosted a family dinner) :)

Now though, this peeler is smooth like butter. It leaves me trying to come up with any excuse to peel something... mashed potato recipes, apple crisp, apple cinnamon oatmeal, shepherds pie (I get to peel potatoes & carrots there!!!).

So as silly as it sounds, new kitchen gadgets to get us all excited! Here's to you finding the right comfort food!