The Wisconsin Files

(Note: This post has been placed on both The Little Magpie and The Food Adventuress blogs, because hey - sometimes things overlap.)

 

 

So, true confessions: prior to 2010, I had never set foot in or even passed through the state of Wisconsin.  I stand (rather, sit) before you chastened and convinced that Wisconsin is absolutely a must-visit state, and I've even harbored dreams of a vacation home there.  However, my husband rightly reminds me that we already know someone with a getaway in Wisconsin, so we'll select elsewhere when we start entering and subsequently win the lottery.

 

Also, I should offer the disclaimer (see my rants on the subject over at The Little Magpie) that I'm an enormous fan of everywhere and abhor place-bashing.  Every state is pretty amazing, and making fun of where others are from is really just bad form.  We should all visit for ourselves and still withhold judgment if we don't have anything nice to say, but I digress...

 

My sister is fortunate on a number of levels to date a truly and exceptionally nice guy whose family happens to have several houses on the Chain O' Lakes (yeah, that's O' Lakes, not of) clustered in and around Waupaca, Wisconsin.  For two years in a row we've ventured up on a family vacation with them in August which has numerous food and non-food related merits, not the least of which is the fact that temperatures range from the upper 60s to low 80s throughout our sojourn, while hovering in the triple digits back home in Arkansas.

 

 

I love crossing from Minnesota into Wisconsin near La Crosse over the Mississippi River - it seems like a different world after traveling all the way through Missouri and Iowa's fields of corn and wind farms.

Hello, Wisconsin! Mississippi River near La Crosse - high noon. 86 degrees.

We also stopped at Ship Rock in Adams County, a staggering remnant of retreating glacial lakes during the last stages of the Ice Age nearly 12,000 years ago.

 

 

Throughout the week, we saw Sandhill Cranes in fields around the area.  They are intriguing to me every time, both due to their size and their demeanor.  There's a neat overview of sandhills on the state of Wisconsin's environmental education website for kids.

 

 

Other advantages include access to Long Lake via a short stroll on a fern and mossy rock-lined path, leaving windows and doors open throughout our visit, complete lack of cell service and email access and just a general feeling of true escape.  The scenery is stunning: just off two of Wisconsin's scenic Rustic Roads (a cool program in and of itself; we were near Rustic Roads 23 and 24) near the intriguing 1850s Yankee township of Rural on the Crystal River, and less than a mile from Hartman State Park, home to a portion of the 1,000 mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail.  We spend the week biking, swimming, hiking, kayaking and reading.   It's heaven.

 

 

Incidentally, nearby King is the site of the Grand Army Home and Wisconsin Veterans Home.  We biked through and had a picnic on the grounds, which are really interesting.  I suspect a lot of people overlook this as a fantastic historical site on the National Register of Historic Places.  According to the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King book by Kim J. Heltemes: "The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Wisconsin, was incorporated in 1887 by the Wisconsin Department of the Grand Army of the Republic. Initially a retirement home for Civil War veterans and their spouses, the Home slowly evolved into a health care facility as the original members aged and new veterans arrived from World War I.  Some original buildings still exist today, and the Home currently cares for approximately 800 veterans and spouses."  I was particularly intrigued by the Veterans Cottages Historic District.  We explored the entire area, and were rewarded as usual for straying off the beaten path - there is something of interest just about everywhere, including this town of approximately 835 residents.

 

 

On the foodie front, there are also a number of advantages.  We enjoyed the nearly-legendary Spotted Cow (read the grassroots story behind this nearly-legendary beer) from New Glarus Brewing Company, which is an interesting story itself - one of two craft brewing companies led by women.  We also sample a variety of selections from Central Waters Brewing Company (which makes a Glacial Trail IPA and a Mud Puppy Porter, although my favorite was the Ouisconsing Red, named for the Algonquin word for the Wisconsin River) as well as Stevens Point Brewery, established in 1857 (I liked the Belgian White).

 

Label from the Central Waters Brewing Company website (www.centralwaters.com)

 

We take turns preparing meals on the grill and otherwise, with the carnivores enjoying burgers and ribs and the vegetarians (ok, me) enjoying portabellas and shrimp.  We've indulged in fried cheese curds of unspeakable loveliness at Clear Water Harbor, pizza and garlic bread at the Wheelhouse, fresh Cedar Crest ice cream from Oskkosh and (I assure you) plenty more.  We have handy access to some of the best farm stands I've visited, corn fresh from the fields surrounding us, berries for snacking (and tart-making) and a great farmer's market in downtown Waupaca.

 

At the Wheelhouse

But oh, the cheese.  In nearby King amidst an array of cute little shops is a place called Cheesie Bob's Bleu Cheese House.  It's fairly nondescript but not to be missed.  Wisconsin is obviously known for cheese and produces nearly 600 varieties (read more about Wisconsin's cheese history), and most folks are familiar with fresh cheese curds (freshest when they are squeaky and delivered on Friday).  However, the selection at Cheesie Bob's will blow the cheese-lover's mind.  This year we were brought in by the enticing promise of morel and leek cheese (the base was jack), and we were not disappointed.  We've grabbed fresh muenster and drunken cheddar and every variety in between.  Honestly, thank goodness for the athletic endeavors of the week to offset the staggering amounts of cheese consumed.

 

Photo from the Wisconsin Cheese website

It's always a treat to escape to a place you're completely unfamiliar with and to explore it on your own agenda.  Here's to the not-lost art of the road trip and the family vacation!

Kitchen Covet

We covered some of the things that keep me happy in the kitchen.  Now, on to the items I'm pining for as of late!

1.  This cute timer from Better Homes & Gardens with a little slot to hold a recipe card.  I know, it's cheap - I need to buy it already.  And yes, perhaps you've noticed that I'm drawn to the bold red splash around the kitchen.

2.  A pot filler.  It isn't going to happen in our current configuration or kitchen, but it's on my "Sigh.  Someday..." list. 

3.  A set of Laguiole flatware.  Best known for their craftsmanship of knives with a small bee on the handle, the Laguiole collection has always kind of rocked my world.  J'adore.

4. More of these mugs, which my sister originally bought for me from Williams Sonoma.  Unfortunately, they no longer carry them and she bought me the last four:

5.  Red Le Creuset bakeware.  Paella dishes, casseroles, you name it - I'd love to have a bunch of it.  Williams Sonoma carries it, and I have impure thoughts about it.

6.  A gorgeous new toaster that looks as though it might also be a time machine.  The likelihood of me ever purchasing a toaster with a price tag of more than two figures is exceptionally improbable, but hey - a girl can dream!

What are you wishing for to complete your culinary adventures?

Well hello, beautiful...

Garlic, capers, artichoke hearts, black olives, baby bella mushrooms, goat cheese and parmesan. Yes, please!

Favorite Kitchen Tools

I've read a few articles in trendy home magazines about people who are so chic, so uptown, so fabulous that rather than cook, they use the kitchens in their oh-so-moderne studios as additional storage.  Witness the woman who keeps sweaters neatly folded in her oven and various home gadgets in her (unplugged) fridge.  While it certainly sounds fab, let's be clear: that's never going to happen around here.

Every square inch of real estate in my kitchen is put to good use - in fact, we recently did a thoughtful resuscitation (remodel is just not the appropriate word) of our kitchen.  Watch for a thoroughly enthusiastic post on that and my dreamy pantry in the near future.  For now, I'd like to wax poetic about the specific items in my kitchen that make me happy.  You'll note I'm not going with gadgets exclusively - I love the utilitarian term tool much more because it denotes the items I use to accomplish things, whether they be happiness or a meal.  Without further ado:

1.  Hooks.  Everywhere.  For sink towels, aprons, bananas (hang one under a cabinet and get rid of that counter space hogging banana hanger), oven mitts etc.  Here's my preference, but I'll allow you to choose your own (although I'm just saying, these are the best...):

2.  Chalkboards.  We just repurposed most of our kitchen around ample chalkboards.  I'll just put this out there: I hate fridge clutter.  Disclaimer: I'm totally ok with it and nonjudgmental at your house (really!), but I hate it in mine.  And yet, I'm fine with cluttered chalkboards dripping with magnets and notes.  To each her own!  (More on the chalkboards and the entire kitchen redux soon)

3.  Storage containers.  My poor husband has grown to tolerate the fact that when I return from the store and unload all my purchases from my own produce and shopping bags (this too, he tolerates), I will immediately remove everything from its packaging and place it in my own containers just to confuse everyone.  Not really - I generally choose clear containers such as mason jars for pasta, granola bars, snacks and so forth, but I repackage it all nonetheless.  It just makes me happier.  Retro packaging?  Love it - but everything else has to be repackaged or placed out of site.

4.  The Chip Can.  All my growing up years, my Mom kept potato chips (Lay's, specifically) in a large red can on top of the fridge.  Recently, my husband remarked that we ought to do that.  God bless him.  Lo and behold, I had just the can raring to go.  I've had it for ages and hadn't thought to put it into service.  Find it below - it just so happens it holds precisely two large bags of Lay's potato chips snugly.  I think there is something immensely satisfying about making a good sandwich and putting the can of potato chips on the table.

5.  The perfect spice rack.  I love this double decker spinning spice rack my Mom found for me a few years ago.  I do have a large, separate spice storage area (more on that to come in the future), but these are my quick grab, most-frequently-used staples so it stays near my stove along with the spoons and cooking implements, but not too close due to the high temperatures.

6.  May I cheat a bit and cite my entire coffee station?  K thanks.  This station includes: my red Kitchen Aid coffee pot, post-consumer content coffee filters (I know, I need to switch to reusable) stored in a Prince Albert tobacco can that belonged to my grandfather, a coffee grinder (essential for imparting a heavenly aroma), spoons and sugar/sweetener easily accessible and a Coffeyville, KS brick because it makes me smile.  Also, please note: that's gorgeous backer board you see in the background because the tile isn't up yet in this photo.  Patience, my pretties.

7.  Measure equivalents magnet.  I married smart so I wouldn't have to be, and no matter what, I can't remember how many tablespoons make half a cup.  Granted, as you'll note if you've read my disclaimers - especially #4, I do not excel at following directions closely, but in baking it is an occasional necessity.  And I do love the baked goods.  This magnet, by the way, looks très chic on my magnetic chalkboard.

8.  A recycling bin.  Duh.  Who cooks without composting and recycling these days?  If you're holding out, stop.  Grab two inexpensive matching trash cans and don't worry about labeling - train your family.  Use a mini galvanized trash can or even an old coffee can for compost depending on what you generate, and just start, for pete's sake.  This isn't a major undertaking.  All the cool cooks are doing it.

9.  In terms of actual implements, I favor wooden spoons and J.A. Henckels knives, in case you're wondering.

10.  Last but not least, I love these drinking glasses with red lids by Luminarc.  I have a set each of the 14 and 21 ounce sizes.  They are awesome for a million different uses, from everyday drinking glasses to ferreting cold cereal in the car when I dash out the door without breakfast.  Great non-plastic storage, good for sauces, wide enough to hold large cooking spoons while stirring stovetop items etc.

What are some of the unique items or must-haves in your kitchen?  Next up is my kitchen wish list, and I'll be anxious to know what you're crushing on for cooking!

Keeping it Simple: 3 Ingredient Dishes

If you don't read Real Simple magazine, I recommend it enthusiastically.  Per my mantra, cooking should not be overwhelming.  Simplicity is essential to encourage people to spend more (er, less) time in the kitchen.

One of the things I love about Real Simple is that the magazine (and blog and website) consistently delivers articles that inspire my entire week's meals and grocery list.  A good example is this month's issue, which included this article: 53 Simple 3-Ingredient Recipes.  Sold!  In fact, Real Simple has an entire mini-campaign built around it, with readers posting and tweeting (use @RealSimpleFood and #3Ingredients) their favorite three ingredient dishes.  Awesome!  I'm waiting for the three ingredient cookbook - it's coming, right?


In fact, based on that one article, I whipped up a menu for the week that highlights many of their recommendations, with my own twists as always.  A sampling:


Thursday
A dinnertime rift on the Grilled Provençal Shrimp Skewers: I marinated mine in a mix of olive oil and orange juice and topped them with an orange pepper blend I picked up at my favorite gardening and spice mecca: Planter's Seed & Spice Company in downtown Kansas City.  It's a must-visit, by the way.

As a side item, I played on their Corn and Avocado Salad, but I replaced the scallions with some fresh tomatoes - I was craving them, and the color combination was fantastic.


Saturday
After a date night Friday night, we hopped up and enjoyed croissants, brie, fresh raspberries and some fantastic Bee Friendly Coffee on the porch and then set off for holiday weekend time at the lake with burgers and hot dogs (and grilled portabellas for me).

Sunday 
Made my version of the Pasta with Goat Cheese & Basil Oil: just a couple of slight tweaks.  I used a whole wheat rotini and instead of making the basil oil, substituted some fantastic Mediterranean Garlic Oil full of herbs from the pantry.  I did mix in the goat cheese and some fresh basil from the garden, and I served more of the oil on the side for dipping with an Italian herb focaccia from the grocery store and some fresh farmstand peaches.  Trust me, it was a fantastic summer lunch.

Monday
We'll do the neighborhood Fourth of July parade, grill lunch with friends and family and then end the day with a "snacky dinner:" caprese, salami, prosciutto and cheese... inspired by the Real Simple spread as well!

Tuesday
We're planning on the Glazed Salmon and Bok Choy & Pineapple Slaw, but having not found red curry paste I'll make my own with some existing ingredients from the Asian market.  Stay tuned for that debacle.  


Wednesday
Quesadillas are a staple Chez Stephens, so we'll do a round of chicken quesadillas and a sauteed version of the Grilled Portabella Quesadillas.


Thursday
We'll round out the week with our version of breakfast tacos, inspired by "the best tacos in America" (they really are) at Taco Taco in San Antonio, Texas.  We've been making them ever since craving them after my sister attended Trinity University.  Our version: skillet potatoes, scrambled eggs, shredded cheese and salsa in fluffy homemade tortillas.  Mmmmm.  And no - for some reason, it's enough of a departure that it isn't reminiscent of our quesadillas on Wednesday night.


Your marching orders: read/subscribe to Real Simple, and try your hand at easy, three ingredient recipes.  You'll find plenty on this summary of the 3-ingredient challenge.

Oh, and be sure to stop by my fabulous friend's blog: nwaFoodie.  She just did a great post on the best food bloggers to follow in northwest Arkansas, and I was tickled to be included.  She's really the top (food) dog, and you must keep up with her blog.  As she says on her blog: Eat well, my friends.  Eat well.

Quickie Pork Carnitas (Or, How to Throw Caution to the Wind in the Kitchen)

We're trying something a little new around here tonight - a quickie version of pork carnitas.  I thought rather than simply post a recipe, it would be fun to walk you through the cooking thought process as I make it less threatening.  By and large, I find this is the most common hang-up in the kitchen - intimidation breeds a lack of willingness to try new things, to be adventuresome.

Allow me to calm your frayed nerves.  First, I'm a vegetarian, having not eaten meat in nearly twenty years.  However, I don't allow myself to be threatened about cooking it.  Second, further throwing caution to the wind, we have guests tonight - British soccer coaches we're hosting for the week.  You know your mom told you never to try a recipe out for the first time on guests.  Pish posh.  Finally, I haven't a recipe.  This is my preferred method of kitchen adventure and debauchery.  I'll grab some things that look interesting to try (in this case, some boneless pork sirloin roasts of about 1.5 pounds apiece) and develop a loose plan - in this case, some avocados and a vague idea of something sort of Mexican in nature.

So, my starting point is always to do a quick web search for a basic recipe.  Tonight I've grabbed some instructions on "How to cook a 3 pound pork roast" from LiveStrong.com.  I'm not looking for strict edicts - I'm looking for basic infallible instructions.  In this case I've gathered that a roasting pan, an internal temperature of 150 degrees and some sort of herb/oil blend are the essentials.  From there, I'll wing it.  Incidentally, this is my preferred approach - a vague concept of what I want to create, a quick web search for recipe commonalities to give me a starting point, and then off to the races with my own version.

So, I've first ignored the 1 tbsp of oil and gone for about half a cup of olive oil, and then I went with my preferred spices - in this case, I thought oregano, marjoram, some garlic salt and a low-sodium salt and pepper blend would create a nice rub.  I decided rather than a cookie sheet to use a square cake plan lined in foil (I'm not about scrubbing funk) and a piece of parchment (to eliminate stickiness).  I've got the oven at 450 and the pork is in its quick roasting stage, and then I'll take it down to 250 or so for the next hour.

I'm serving some great (Target) World Table salsas on the side along with their blue corn tortilla with flax seed chips, which I love.  *Nomnomnom.*  I'm making some homemade guacamole (avocado, lime juice, a bit of hot sauce, onion salt, a few red pepper flakes and just a smidge of olive oil based mayo) and putting a little sour cream out.  I'll add some plain black beans, lettuce and shredded cheese to the offerings for a build your own taco sort of situation.  For the vegetarians in the crowd (moi) I'm quickly sauteeing some baby bella mushrooms to fatten up the soft tacos.


Quick tip 1: I'm all about not using canned items whenever possible and try to use dried or, in a pinch, frozen beans and so forth.  But, I keep a small number of organic, low-sodium canned tomatoes, olives and beans around for a pinch.  I always thoroughly rinse said beans to remove as much perceived bad stuff as possible for a short cut that I can still not feel to badly about.

Quick tip 2:  Take your sauces & sides out of the containers.  Grab some of those inexpensive salsa dishes you'd see in a Mexican restaurant and feel a little more big time about what you're serving.

Quick tip 3: Heat your tortilla chips and tortillas (wrapped in foil) for a few minutes in the oven.  It's just a nice touch - like you know how to cook or something!

Ok, progress report - the pork came out looking pretty lovely, if I do say so myself.  I thought it needed a few minutes of browning after it hit 150 degrees, so I turned it back up to 500 degrees for about 7 minutes to give it a nice browning, then I sliced it up:

Finally, I sliced it again into nice long semi-shredded slivers, the better for stuffing a nice tortilla.

About an hour start to finish, and that's with lots of touches (setting the table, transferring sauces to serving bowls, stopping to blog (!) and so forth).  The verdict: maybe my family just doesn't get enough meat, making them exceptionally grateful when they do, but they were exceptionally happy.  They deemed the pork moist and a nice texture for the tacos.  I put very little seasoning since there were lots of other tastes to round it out (guacamole, sour cream, cheese, salsa verde etc.) so it would be a bit bland by itself, but I think you could season it up a bit and have this round out a meal nicely.
 
Give it a shot - be an adventuress.  What's the harm?  A poorly executed recipe is just a chance for good humor and another shot later on.  Add it to your family's arsenal and join them by being self-deprecating when you all laugh about the time you made... (fill in the blank) and nearly burned the house down.  Or, surprise them and yourself by turning out something novel and nearly divine.  Promise you'll be proud.

Parmesan & Nut-Crusted Fish

First, as I type this, I am devouring some strawberry and basil scones concocted by my sister.  Rest assured I'll track down the supposed simple recipe and post here.  She swears she thought them inedible and almost trashed them.  Heathen!

In the interim, I've been day dreaming about a favorite recipe of ours: essentially, a parmesan and nut-crusted fish.  Obviously, I found it critical to share.

At some point, I found a similar recipe in the classic Better Homes & Gardens red & white cookbook, but it's been modified and tweaked so much I don't think I can give credit there.  The best part about this "recipe" is that it works equally well on the grill (my favorite), in the oven or on the stove top.

I usually start it on foil for the grill or in a parchment lined dish for the oven.  Stove top (semi-fried) is probably the least healthy way, but it tastes pretty delightful.  My favorite fish for this is halibut steaks, but we've used tilapia, halibut filet or any other white fish with a nice, meaty flavor.

Typically, I start by soaking or rubbing the fish in olive oil, and then in a separate bowl I stir together about two cups of seasoned bread crumbs, about one cup of nuts (diced walnuts or pecans or packaged nut topping all work well), a healthy dose to taste of Italian seasoning and about a cup of fresh shredded parmesan.  After mixing it all up, I coat (thickly) the fish.

For the grill, just setting the fish with the skin side down on the foil, pouring on olive oil and then pouring on this mix and patting it to a nice crust works perfectly - I wrap up the foil package and hand it over to the keeper of the grill, who takes it from there.

For the oven, I pop the whole thing in somewhere around 375 (a little higher doesn't hurt) for 15 - 20 minutes.  It's a pretty difficult dish to mess up.  I like a nice brown to the crust and adjust accordingly.  For the stove top, I usually use smaller fillets with the skin off and just saute them in a good amount of olive or cooking oil, turning them and then keeping warm in the oven while I finish side items like some asparagus and wild rice.

It's a great summer (or anytime) meal, and I've got to dash off to the store for fish now to satisfy the craving.

Enjoy!