Recipes – Page 3 – Life In The Falls

Lemon Dressing

July 1, 2019 Heather Bartlett

It is a hot night this beautiful Monday, so I am making a simple salad for dinner. Making your own salad dressing is a great way to save money. Not only that, homemade tastes so much better. Below is my recipe for lemony salad dressing. Since it is lemon juice and olive oil, you know it’s healthy. Enjoy!

Lemon Dressing

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake.

Recipes

Jalapeno Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich

June 27, 2019 Heather Bartlett

I love egg sandwiches for breakfast. I have created a super simple and tasty sandwich. The required ingredient is cheddar with jalapenos Pub Cheese from Trader Joe’s. This sandwich is so much better than anything I have had at a coffee shop or restaurant.

Jalapeno Cheddar Egg Sandwich

1 fried egg

1 breakfast sausage patty (I use the veggie breakfast patties from Trader Joe’s)

1 english muffin

1 generous serving of cheddar jalepeno cheese spread

Assemble sandwich and enjoy!

Required ingredient!

Family Life, Recipes

Mushroom and Boursin Cheese Omelette

June 20, 2019June 20, 2019 Heather Bartlett

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Watt’s Tea Room was a Milwaukee monument for over 100 years. Watt’s was a restaurant that served breakfast, lunch and tea on the top floor of the shop it was part of. The store sells china and crystal and I can’t think of a time that we were there that we didn’t see a mother and daughter there, picking out patterns for a wedding registry. On December 31, 2016 the tea room closed it’s doors, bringing the end of an era. My daughters and I were there on the last day for one last meal and to say goodbye. Watt’s Tea Room was an annual tradition for us, we would go for lunch the Saturday before they went back to school. The food was good, I am not so sure that it was amazing, but it was good. For me, it was more about being part of the history of our city. Everyone knew about Watt’s Tea Room and almost everyone I knew had either been there with their mother or daughter at least once.

One of my favorite meals was their mushroom and boursin cheese omelette. When the store closed, my first thought was “oh no, that omelette”, I feared I would never eat one again. I have since tried to replicate it at home and I believe I am close. When I serve that omelette, I am sure to have big, thick english muffins on hand, as Watt’s was famous for their english muffins. Here is my attempt to recreate that recipe.

Mushroom and Boursin Cheese Omelette

2 eggs

1 tbsp half and half

2 oz mushrooms

splash of white wine (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

garlic and herb boursin cheese (to taste)

Whisk eggs and half & half. Heat olive oil in pan, once heated add sliced mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add white wine for extra flavor. Once mushrooms are cooked, remove from pan and add butter and melt. Add eggs, once firm add mushrooms and cheese. Note, boursin cheese is very flavorful, you don’t need a lot. Fold into an omelette, garnish with additional mushrooms and cheese.

Recipes

Mixed Berry Fruit Crisp

June 18, 2019June 18, 2019 Heather Bartlett

Last summer I harvested a lot of raspberries from our backyard. On Saturday, I used the last of those precious berries, knowing that in a few short weeks I will have a robust supply of them once again. I make a delicious mixed berry crisp that make those berries the perfect addition.

Mixed Berry Fruit Crisp

8 cups berries ( I used a variety of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp corn starch

juice from one lemon

1 tsp lemon zest

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (not instant, steel cut or quick)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chilled butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash the berries and put in large bowl. Add sugar, corn starch, lemon juice and zest. Let sit. Put the flour, oatmeal and brown sugar in food processor and mix. Once mixed, add butter and mix. Put fruit in baking dish, sprinkle crumble on top. Bake until bubbly. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Household, Recipes

DIY Dry Shampoo

June 17, 2019June 17, 2019 Maeghan Schley

Here is a recipe for DIY dry shampoo. It is super easy to make and it works just as well as store bought dry shampoo. I found this recipe from wellnessmama.com.

Dry Shampoo Ingredients

1/4 cup arrowroot powder or organic cornstarch OR 2 tablespoons arrowroot/cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
5 drops of essential oil of choice (optional- I use lavender)
An old make-up brush to apply

Dry Shampoo Instructions

Put the drops of essential oil into the arrowroot or cornstarch and mix with a spoon. Store the mix in a small jar or old powder container.
Apply with an old make-up brush to the roots or oily parts of your hair. Applying with the brush is optional, but it removes the need to comb through as much and is better for styled hair. If you don’t use the brush, comb the powder through your hair and style as usual.

Recipes

Tofu Fried Rice

June 11, 2019 Heather Bartlett

Fried rice is an easy way to use leftover rice. The ingredients are cheap and it’s hard to ruin. My recipe is straightforward and tastes close to restaurant fried rice.

Tofu Fried Rice

3 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 lb firm tofu coated in corn starch

1 lb frozen mixed vegetables

2 eggs

soy sauce

Heat oil in wok or skillet on medium high. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add tofu and saute another 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add cooked rice and vegetables and cover for 5-7 minutes or until vegetable are cooked. Make a well in the center of the rice and vegetables, add the whisked eggs and scramble. Mix everything together, add soy sauce to taste (I don’t add a lot while cooking so that everyone can add their own). Serve with egg rolls or spring rolls.

My husband and daughter also add sriracha sauce, I don’t because I don’t like the smell of it. But, they say it makes it even better.

Family Life, Recipes

Weekend Thoughts

June 10, 2019June 10, 2019 Heather Bartlett

Another weekend on the books, and it was a fabulous one at that. I am on a rotating schedule with my job, so over the summer I have a 4 day weekend more often than not. This allows for more family time in the summer, which I try to take full advantage of. I am considering this last weekend as my official summer kick off. I was fortunate enough to be able to see Paul McCartney perform at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. I went with my mom and my 21 year old son and we had, for lack of a better word, a blast. Paul McCartney might be in his 70’s, but he performs like a man half his age. The show was amazing, the music iconic and the atmosphere was perfect. I told my son everyone needs to see at least one arena concert in their lifetime, he hit the jackpot. I have memories with my mom and son that I will carry forever. It was the perfect example of why I prefer to spend money on experiences, not things. Experiences stay with you for a lifetime. I am still singing Hey Jude in my head and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Pre show at Lambeau

I learned a valuable lesson on Sunday about the importance of keeping an adequate supply of food in my house. Sunday family dinners have become a tradition in my home. More Sundays than not, all 3 kids are home for dinner. Sometimes all the boyfriends/girlfriend are also eating with us. Last night turned into a dinner where we had almost everyone. I had planned for a dinner for 5 which turned into 7. I was only planning on pasta salad and kale salad. Thankfully, I had a frozen pizza in the freezer that we were able to add to dinner, and voila, I had enough for everyone.

I want everyone to know that dinner on Sundays in my house is open to everyone. For that to happen, I need to be better organized for big meals that may need to get bigger at a moment’s notice. Impromptu dinners are the best kind because the mood can never be replicated and that is what makes them so much fun.

Here is the recipe for the pasta salad that I made last night. It was a hit.

Greek Pasta Salad

1 lb pasta

8 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts

8 oz roasted red peppers

2 oz sun dried tomatoes (not in oil)

1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

1/4 cup chopped red onion

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

salt and pepper to taste

Recipes

Cheesy Brown Rice and Kale Casserole

May 31, 2019 Heather Bartlett

Cheesy Brown Rice and Kale Casserole

3 cups cooked brown rice

1 bunch chopped kale

8 oz mushrooms

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup butter

1/4 flour

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cup swiss and gruyere cheese

Topping

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add mushrooms and kale. Saute until kale and mushrooms soften. Add butter to pan and melt. Whisk in flour and milk, once mixed, add cheese. Mix together, add rice to skilled. Stir together. For topping, melt butter and then add bread crumbs and mix together. Sprinkle bread crumbs on casserole, sprinkle parmesan. Bake until bubbly.

Recipes

Asparagus Quiche

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 Heather Bartlett

Breakfast this morning was leftover asparagus quiche from last night. We eat a lot of egg products because our chickens lay so many eggs. Asparagus also came from the garden. My recipe is very simple and takes about 5 minutes to make.

Asparagus Quiche

Pie crust (I use premade from Trader Joes)

5 eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

9 stalks asparagus

3/4 cup shredded swiss and gruyere cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put pie crust in pie pan. Scramble eggs with milk, add salt and pepper. Cut asparagus into pieces, place in bottom of pie pan, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over the asparagus. Bake in oven 30 minutes or until quiche is golden brown.

Recipes

Kale Lasagna

April 15, 2019April 15, 2019 Heather Bartlett

My son comes home from college most Sundays to spend the day with his dad and have Sunday dinner with us. Last night I made Kale Lasagna.

Kale Lasagna

1 package lasagna noodles (I use the oven ready, no boiling needed)

5 oz kale

2 jars marinara sauce

8 oz ricotta cheese

4 1/2 cups mozerella

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 4 cups mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan in bowl and stir. Put one cup of sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan, place 3 lasagna noodles vertically in pan. Spread 1 cup cheese mixture on noodles and then kale. Repeat these steps 3 more times. Top with remaining mozzarella and sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. I served with a salad.