I, Mary Hill, am making women stronger by being a proud owner of a Curves franchise in West Bend that is staffed by amazing employees and attended by remarkable members. I started my Curves journey as a manager of my local Curves and loved it so much that I decided to buy my own Curves in my hometown, West Bend. This town has given to me since I was a child, so it was natural to give something back. I attended Decorah Elementary, Badger Middle, and West Bend East High School. I then went on to graduate from my father's almamater, UW-Whitewater, with a BSE. This is where I met my husband. We were married in 1995 and wanted to start a family right away. God's plan was a little different, after many years of doctors, hospitals, and miscarriages; we found out in 2006 that I have a medical issue. It would cost even more money then we have already spent on infertility treatments to have a baby, and then the economy took a down turn. I have struggled many years with depression and weight, but since 2006, I started to look at life a little differently. I may not be able to have my own child, but I am helping lots of other women live longer to take care of their own children. By having this mind set, doing for others, I know I will be with my children in heaven someday and living in eternity with them is much more important than being depressed now. When I am working out at Curves, I see it as my family, watching my employees and my members become stronger women; while making a stronger community and hopefully achieving a personal goal of making a difference in this world. Oh and by the way, I also lost 30 pounds to date. Thank you for letting me share, and lets all get “Stronger Together!!"
Curves is only a 30 minute workout specially designed for women. Curves is designed to help women who want to be healthy, lose weight, tone and firm or even for those who want to gain muscle. We also feature the most advanced technology in the world, Curves Smart. Curves Smart is a personal coaching system that will ensure you get the best workout every time you come in based on your specific fitness level. Curves has helped many women in this community lower their medication or even eliminate medication altogether. We have also helped women slow or even reverse osteoporosis. Members have been able to accomplish these things by working out a minimum of three times a week and checking in with their circuit coach once a month.
urves also offers a free weight management program that is simple to use. Our program teaches you how to change your lifestyle and stop the yo-yo dieting. The Curves weight management class is offered the second Saturday of the month. We offer three classes every month. The first one is our Start Up class, which teaches you how to get started with our weight management program. Class two is a Special Topic class. This class changes topics every month. March’s topic is on reading food labels. Then, the third class is on Phase III. Phase III is the part of our program that teaches us how to raise our metabolism safely without gaining weight back that we’ve lost. All three of these classes are FREE to members and non-members.
Our mission, at Curves, is to make the world one million women stronger in 2010. Every year, millions of women suffer from preventable diseases. If you take it upon yourself to make your own health a priority, you can live better. Live longer, healthier, and with more confidence. And if one woman can affect another . . . who can affect another . . . we can be a part of something huge. Together we can improve the lives of one million women. Visit our new Stronger Together website at www.curves.com/StrongerTogether. Here you can “join the chain” and find a lot of useful tools to keep your resolutions this year. Stop in to see what we are all about! You won’t regret it! Curves is located at 1640 S. Main St., between Shopko and Kohl‘s, in the Paradise Pavilion. The phone number is 262-306-1965. The following recipes are from the Curves diet program – including the Smores!
Asian Shrimp Pilaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Number of Servings: 6 Special Notes: Substitute plain brown rice for rice pilaf to save 400 mg or more of sodium per serving.
Ingredients:
1 6-oz. pkg. rice pilaf mix
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. minced garlic (about 1 clove; consider cooking garlic for 30 seconds first if you don’t like raw garlic)
1/2 cup diced or shredded carrots (about 1 large
carrot or 8 baby carrots)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1/2 pepper)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Directions:
1. Prepare rice per package directions, omitting the butter or oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for shrimp.
2. In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Put carrots, bell pepper, scallions, and peanuts in a medium bowl. When rice is cooked, stir it into vegetables, and add soy sauce mixture.
3. Meanwhile, drop shrimp in the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it is pink and opaque. Drain well and add to the rice mixture.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 250; Fat: 6.0g; Saturated Fat: 1.0g; Protein: 20g; Carbohydrates: 29g; Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 55Mg; Sodium: 700Mg
Smores Bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serving Size: 1/16 of recipe
Number of Servings: 16 Ingredients:
8 whole graham crackers
6 Tbls. extra light olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
4-oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups miniature marshmallows
Directions:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375° F. Use heavy-duty foil to line the bottom and long sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Spray pan bottom with vegetable cooking spray, then line with crackers, breaking as necessary to fit in the pan. Mix oil and sugar. Pour over graham crackers and spread evenly. Bake 7 minutes. Let cool until sugar hardens, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat chocolate and condensed milk in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat until chocolate has melted. Stir in vanilla extract. Spread chocolate mixture over the graham crackers; sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven; bake until marshmallows turn golden brown, about 7 minutes longer. Let cool, then lift bars from pan using foil lining. Cut into bars with a knife coated with vegetable cooking spray. Serve.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 220; Fat: 12.0g; Saturated Fat: 4.4g; Protein: 3g; Carbohydrates: 28g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 10Mg; Sodium: 75Mg
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Grandma Pat’s Palate Pleasing Fish and Wild Game Recipes
“The first day of high school I saw Ron,” said Pat Holtslander, “and I said to myself, he’s the one who will be my husband.” Of course Pat was right, but I asked Ron if it took some time before he caught on, and they both laughed. I was visiting with the Holtslanders to learn more about a cookbook Pat had published last year, called Grandma Pat’s Palate Pleasing Fish and Wild Game Recipes. I did learn about it, but not without hearing some wonderful stories about their lives. This is because their marriage and family engendered the cook book.
Their high school was North Division, and the couple married young, settling in Milwaukee. Pat and Ron had three children before a disastrous event changed their lives. “I was going to visit a friend, and my babysitter cancelled at the last minute,” explained Pat. “My friend said to bring the children with me. We had put them all to bed before a neighbor called to say our house was burning.”
The house was completely destroyed, but the Holtslanders thank their lucky stars to this day that their children were not home with a sitter at the time of the fire. They subsequently decided that it was a good time to move away from the city, and landed in Grafton. Ron owned a cab company in Port Washington for a number of years, but when the power plant in Port was hiring, he applied there. Ron put in 29 years at the plant, and the couple moved to their Port Washington home in 1967.
Ron was already an avid hunter by the time Pat spotted him at school. He’d spent time living with cousins, who included them in their various hunting trips. In the early days of their marriage, Pat was faced with a choice: learn how to clean and cook wild game, or waste food. Ron would have time to shoot game birds before work, but no time to clean them. Pat chose not only to learn how to process fish and game, but to join Ron on his hunting sojourns. She learned how to fish and how to hunt deer, pheasant, grouse, ducks and geese. Ron says she’s a better pistol shot than he. When their children became old enough, Pat and Ron began taking them along on hunting trips. Before too long, the hunting trip became the annual family vacation, taken during the opening week of deer hunting (gun), before Thanksgiving. They rented a cottage near the Dells from a fellow who was reluctant to rent to hunters at first. He relented when he found out this was a family group. They returned to the same spot every year, and in 1973, Pat and Ron purchased the cottage from the owner. Their children (two girls and one boy), continued to participate in the family hunting vacation into their adulthood. When they married and had their own children, Pat began staying home to babysit her grandchildren, who in turn, joined the family hunt when they were old enough. Eventually, Pat and Ron bought their own hunting land close to the cottage, and now own 126 acres. In all the hunting seasons the family has participated in, they’ve only returned home empty-handed twice. The largest amount of deer taken in one year was 18.
So, Pat cooked. She tweaked recipes, invented recipes and perfected recipes. Of the voluminous recipes she assembled, perhaps 10 to 12 were given to her from friends or relatives. Her recipes, and therefore her cookbook, address just about any creature one can procure by catching or hunting in Wisconsin. Since her family’s diet included so much fish and wild game, Pat learned to be creative with its preparation and preservation. For example, salmon is Ron’s favorite, and he does not care for it after it’s frozen. So, Pat cans it instead. Recipes range from simple to elegant. However, even the more sophisticated-sounding recipes are not difficult to follow, or use a lot of hard-to-locate ingredients. The book has enough recipes to be useful to the cook who is only looking for new venison or fish recipes, but is really a find for those like the Holtslanders, who hunt all types of fowl and small game. I became curious about dishes with rabbit while reading Under the Tuscan Sun, so I was wowed by the 17 recipes for that pesky little flower eater. Snapping turtle? Moose steak? Quail with grapes? They’re in the book. It’s ironic that Pat says wild goose is the hardest game to cook, as it’s very tough, but it’s one of their favorite foods. Pat loves wild goose and sauerkraut, while Ron picks wild goose stroganoff.
How it came to be
Once Pat had grandchildren and great grandchildren, she began to think about leaving something behind for them. There were two things she thought emblematic of her family’s history. One was all the recipes, and the other was the family tablecloth. “When our children were growing up,” she explained, “I had the idea of having them sign their names, or make little drawings on a tablecloth. (This was a white bed sheet which she had trimmed and edged.) Over the years, they added more and longer bits, very often stories about our hunting trips. I embroidered over a lot of them, and some are still just in pen. Our grandchildren wrote on it too, and using the tablecloth has become a huge holiday tradition in our house. When I got the idea of putting a cookbook together, I also thought I could add things from the tablecloth.” Pat got a cousin to teach her how to use a computer, and put everything together. “But then I just left it sit for like six or eight years,” she said. In 2009, Pat and Ron would both be 75 years old for a month and a half, before Ron had another birthday. Their children decided to throw them a party. “I just thought it was a regular birthday party,” said Pat. “But an awful lot of people showed up. My granddaughter stepped forward to give me a gift, and inside the box was a very nice pen. I thought, well thanks for the nice pen dear.” Then one of Pat’s daughters stepped forward with a box. Inside was a hard cover copy of Pat’s cookbook. Her daughter had secretly copied all the files from Pat’s computer, and the children had the book published. Using her brand new pen, Pat signed and gave away the cookbooks from that first small printing at the party.
Fame and fortune
Ok, not really. But Pat’s life did change after the cookbook was published. She finds all the attention a little disconcerting, since overall; she’s a fairly private person. But word about the book spread. More friends and relatives began calling for copies of the book. The local paper heard about it and interviewed her, so another, larger printing of the book was necessary. Then, Pat and Ron’s daughter, who is on the chamber of commerce in Princeton, signed her mother up to have a booth at the Waukesha County Expo. “I thought it would be amazing if I sold a book or two,” she recalled, “but I sold ten!” The couple was signed up for two more shows when Ron broke his ankle, but they’re gearing up to try trade show sales again. They have a booth at the Waukesha gun show from March 5-7 and the Washington County Fair Park gun and hunting show from March 26-28. They are also open to selling the book via telephone, at 262-284-4780. (Hard cover $20/soft, $15.) Sharing their recipes is one way the Holtslanders feel they can give something back.
“I teach hunter education too,” said Ron. “So does my son. I had to learn a lot on my own and I feel these classes are so worthwhile. Every year since the gun safety programs have been offered, hunting accidents and fatalities have gone down in Wisconsin. This last season was the safest one on record.”
Here’s a nice hearty stew from the cookbook to help us get through another six weeks of winter.
Venison Barley Stew
4 1/2 lbs. venison, cut into
1” chunks
1 cup chopped onion
1 quart water (about)
1 can tomato soup
5 med. sized carrots, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups green beans
2 cups frozen corn
3/4 cup barley
Brown venison pieces in extra virgin olive oil. Transfer meat to slow cooker. Add onions, water, soup, carrots, celery and spices. Cook on low for
4-5 hours. Add fresh beans, corn and barley. Cover and cook another 2-3 hours.
Their high school was North Division, and the couple married young, settling in Milwaukee. Pat and Ron had three children before a disastrous event changed their lives. “I was going to visit a friend, and my babysitter cancelled at the last minute,” explained Pat. “My friend said to bring the children with me. We had put them all to bed before a neighbor called to say our house was burning.”
The house was completely destroyed, but the Holtslanders thank their lucky stars to this day that their children were not home with a sitter at the time of the fire. They subsequently decided that it was a good time to move away from the city, and landed in Grafton. Ron owned a cab company in Port Washington for a number of years, but when the power plant in Port was hiring, he applied there. Ron put in 29 years at the plant, and the couple moved to their Port Washington home in 1967.
Ron was already an avid hunter by the time Pat spotted him at school. He’d spent time living with cousins, who included them in their various hunting trips. In the early days of their marriage, Pat was faced with a choice: learn how to clean and cook wild game, or waste food. Ron would have time to shoot game birds before work, but no time to clean them. Pat chose not only to learn how to process fish and game, but to join Ron on his hunting sojourns. She learned how to fish and how to hunt deer, pheasant, grouse, ducks and geese. Ron says she’s a better pistol shot than he. When their children became old enough, Pat and Ron began taking them along on hunting trips. Before too long, the hunting trip became the annual family vacation, taken during the opening week of deer hunting (gun), before Thanksgiving. They rented a cottage near the Dells from a fellow who was reluctant to rent to hunters at first. He relented when he found out this was a family group. They returned to the same spot every year, and in 1973, Pat and Ron purchased the cottage from the owner. Their children (two girls and one boy), continued to participate in the family hunting vacation into their adulthood. When they married and had their own children, Pat began staying home to babysit her grandchildren, who in turn, joined the family hunt when they were old enough. Eventually, Pat and Ron bought their own hunting land close to the cottage, and now own 126 acres. In all the hunting seasons the family has participated in, they’ve only returned home empty-handed twice. The largest amount of deer taken in one year was 18.
So, Pat cooked. She tweaked recipes, invented recipes and perfected recipes. Of the voluminous recipes she assembled, perhaps 10 to 12 were given to her from friends or relatives. Her recipes, and therefore her cookbook, address just about any creature one can procure by catching or hunting in Wisconsin. Since her family’s diet included so much fish and wild game, Pat learned to be creative with its preparation and preservation. For example, salmon is Ron’s favorite, and he does not care for it after it’s frozen. So, Pat cans it instead. Recipes range from simple to elegant. However, even the more sophisticated-sounding recipes are not difficult to follow, or use a lot of hard-to-locate ingredients. The book has enough recipes to be useful to the cook who is only looking for new venison or fish recipes, but is really a find for those like the Holtslanders, who hunt all types of fowl and small game. I became curious about dishes with rabbit while reading Under the Tuscan Sun, so I was wowed by the 17 recipes for that pesky little flower eater. Snapping turtle? Moose steak? Quail with grapes? They’re in the book. It’s ironic that Pat says wild goose is the hardest game to cook, as it’s very tough, but it’s one of their favorite foods. Pat loves wild goose and sauerkraut, while Ron picks wild goose stroganoff.
How it came to be
Once Pat had grandchildren and great grandchildren, she began to think about leaving something behind for them. There were two things she thought emblematic of her family’s history. One was all the recipes, and the other was the family tablecloth. “When our children were growing up,” she explained, “I had the idea of having them sign their names, or make little drawings on a tablecloth. (This was a white bed sheet which she had trimmed and edged.) Over the years, they added more and longer bits, very often stories about our hunting trips. I embroidered over a lot of them, and some are still just in pen. Our grandchildren wrote on it too, and using the tablecloth has become a huge holiday tradition in our house. When I got the idea of putting a cookbook together, I also thought I could add things from the tablecloth.” Pat got a cousin to teach her how to use a computer, and put everything together. “But then I just left it sit for like six or eight years,” she said. In 2009, Pat and Ron would both be 75 years old for a month and a half, before Ron had another birthday. Their children decided to throw them a party. “I just thought it was a regular birthday party,” said Pat. “But an awful lot of people showed up. My granddaughter stepped forward to give me a gift, and inside the box was a very nice pen. I thought, well thanks for the nice pen dear.” Then one of Pat’s daughters stepped forward with a box. Inside was a hard cover copy of Pat’s cookbook. Her daughter had secretly copied all the files from Pat’s computer, and the children had the book published. Using her brand new pen, Pat signed and gave away the cookbooks from that first small printing at the party.
Fame and fortune
Ok, not really. But Pat’s life did change after the cookbook was published. She finds all the attention a little disconcerting, since overall; she’s a fairly private person. But word about the book spread. More friends and relatives began calling for copies of the book. The local paper heard about it and interviewed her, so another, larger printing of the book was necessary. Then, Pat and Ron’s daughter, who is on the chamber of commerce in Princeton, signed her mother up to have a booth at the Waukesha County Expo. “I thought it would be amazing if I sold a book or two,” she recalled, “but I sold ten!” The couple was signed up for two more shows when Ron broke his ankle, but they’re gearing up to try trade show sales again. They have a booth at the Waukesha gun show from March 5-7 and the Washington County Fair Park gun and hunting show from March 26-28. They are also open to selling the book via telephone, at 262-284-4780. (Hard cover $20/soft, $15.) Sharing their recipes is one way the Holtslanders feel they can give something back.
“I teach hunter education too,” said Ron. “So does my son. I had to learn a lot on my own and I feel these classes are so worthwhile. Every year since the gun safety programs have been offered, hunting accidents and fatalities have gone down in Wisconsin. This last season was the safest one on record.”
Here’s a nice hearty stew from the cookbook to help us get through another six weeks of winter.
Venison Barley Stew
4 1/2 lbs. venison, cut into
1” chunks
1 cup chopped onion
1 quart water (about)
1 can tomato soup
5 med. sized carrots, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups green beans
2 cups frozen corn
3/4 cup barley
Brown venison pieces in extra virgin olive oil. Transfer meat to slow cooker. Add onions, water, soup, carrots, celery and spices. Cook on low for
4-5 hours. Add fresh beans, corn and barley. Cover and cook another 2-3 hours.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
In Good Taste features guest editorial from Milwaukee Nari
Star of Top Chef and Iron Chef America will cook-up tasty dishes at
the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Show
“Put a Little Love In Your Home” is the theme of the 48th annual
Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Show, Feb. 11-14 at State Fair Park.
For foodies, that translates directly to the kitchen.
This year’s home show features many remodelers with ideas for
updating the kitchen – from a total gut to a simple sprucing up. But
for the cook who wants some instant gratification, the American TV
Kennedy Hahn Appliance Cooking Demonstration Stage is the place to
be, as area chefs and national cooking celebrities Colleen Cleek, the
Classy Gourmet and Season 5 Hell’s Kitchen contestant, and Tre
Wilcox, Season 3 Top Chef Contestant, Chantal Cookware spokesperson,
and 2008 Iron Chef America team, will entertain visitors with recipes
and a few tricks of the trade.
Wilcox, or Chef Tre, as he is known in Dallas, is the executive chef
at that city’s trendy Loft 610 restaurant, and is a frequent guest
cooking instructor at Dallas institutions Neiman Marcus, Sur la
Table, and Central Market.
Chef Tre shares a recipe with
Sunday Post readers and chatted about his career, already stellar at
the age 33.
He explained that as a youth, his interest tended more to the soccer
field than the kitchen. But after getting a part-time job at a fast
food restaurant, he found he not only had a knack for culinary, but a
genuine passion.
“At 19, I realized that being a chef is what I wanted to do with my
life,” he said. “I like the whole concept of creating food – from raw
ingredients to a finished product.”
His experience led to a position at Eatzi’s, a gourmet takeout
market, and for five years he worked as a corporate trainer and
assisted in opening five new stores. That background proved to be an
asset in a commercial kitchen.
“It’s very important for the chef to be able to manage and motivate
his team,” he said. “You need people fully behind you because as a
chef, you always want everything to be the best. I want my team to
run into a brick wall for me, but I will be the first one to hit that
wall. A chef leads by example.”
Before Chef Tre even considers hiring kitchen staff, they must
demonstrate that they have passion for the job. “My number one rule
is passion in the kitchen,” he said. “A successful restaurant is one
that puts out food you always want to come back for, and you have to
have passion to do that.”
Just in case anyone should forget, Chef Tre has a prominent tattoo on
his forearm, “Gotta have passion.”
Chef Tre, who will be preparing seared sea scallops, glazed pork
tenderloin, and cilantro marinated chicken during his cooking
demonstrations, stressed that it was not so much what he prepared as
how he prepared it.
“When I am doing a presentation, I think of it more as Tips, Tricks
and Techniques – the three Ts,” he said. “It’s not just about a
recipe. I want people to take away something that they can apply in
their own kitchen. If it’s just a recipe then they haven’t learned
anything of value. I want them to feel that they can master or learn
from my demonstration.”
Already accomplished in his field, Chef Tre is not done yet. His next
venture is a partnership with the owner of Loft 610, Brian Twomey, to
start a new restaurant in Dallas. He also envisions cookbooks and a
television show.
Despite his busy schedule – he’s in the restaurant at least 12 hours
a day, and at the gym for daily workouts – he also is a proponent of
the family time. “You need to have balance in your life,” he said.
“My youngest daughter, 8, is already showing an interest in cooking.
She wants to be involved in everything in the kitchen. I’ve always
considered cooking at home is getting the whole family into it, from
prep to sitting down and enjoying the meal together. Home cooks
shouldn’t get all stressed out that other people are in the kitchen.
Let everyone contribute and enjoy.”
Chef Tre will be at the Cooking Demonstration Stage 2 p.m. Saturday,
Feb. 13, and 11:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14.
Area chef’s also participating include: John Gillespie, Host of
“Water & Woods,” FSN Wisconsin, 1p.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday; Jason Neu,
Cocktail Consultants, 6:30 p.m. Thursday; Chef Dean Brazaitis, Palms
Bistro & Bar, 1 p.m. Friday; Colleen Cleek, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday,
and noon and 4:30 p.m. Saturday; Chef Sandy D’Amato, Sanford
Restaurant, 5 p.m. Friday; and Chef Brian Bernier and Lisa Docter,
Paramount Grille & Bakehouse, 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Hours for the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Show are: Thurs., Feb.
11, and Fri., Feb. 12, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 13, 10 a.m. – 9
p.m.; and Sun., Feb. 14, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is $6 in
advance, $8 at the door on Thurs. and Fri., and $10 Sat. and Sun.
Tickets for seniors 60 and older are $5, with a special price of $4
at the door on Thurs., Feb. 11, for Senior Day. Children 12 and
younger are free and there is free childcare for ages 3 – 12.
For more information, visit www.milwaukeenari.org or call (414)
771-4071.
Cilantro Marinated Chicken, Jicama Slaw, Chipotle Sauce
By Chef Tre Wilcox
Serving Size: 4
FOR THE CHICKEN
4 pieces boneless chicken breast
3/4 cup olive oil
2 jalapenos
15 garlic cloves – peeled
2 shallots – peeled
1-1/2 bunches cilantro leaves, whole
1 teaspoon cumin – ground
2 teaspoons lime juice – juiced
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
FOR THE CHIPOTLE SAUCE
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves – peeled and chopped
1 shallot – peeled and chopped
1/3 cup chipotle chiles canned in adobo – chopped
2 Roma tomatoes – chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chicken stock
3/4 pound unsalted butter
Salt and lime juice to taste
FOR THE JICAMA SLAW
1 small jicama –peeled and julienned
1/2 carrot – peeled and julienned
1 red bell pepper – julienned
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
Olive oil
Lime juice
Salt to taste
FOR THE CHICKEN
Place chicken into plastic storage container. Combine olive oil,
garlic, shallots, cilantro, cumin, lime juice and pepper in a
blender. Blend on high till smooth.
Cover chicken with marinate and place into refrigerator. Marinate
chicken at least four hours.
When you are ready to serve, preheat oven to 350. Remove chicken
from marinade, season with salt.
Pan sear each chicken breast in grapeseed oil, place into oven and
cook through.
FOR THE CHIPOTLE SAUCE
In a small saucepot, lightly sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil.
Next add chipotle chiles, tomato, tomato paste,
Cream and chicken stock.
Simmer over medium heat for three to four minutes. Place mixture
into blender and blend carefully till smooth.
Pour liquid into saucepot, bring to a simmer and whisk in the butter.
When butter has dissolved season sauce with salt and lime juice.
Strain sauce and keep warm till time to serve.
FOR THE JICAMA SLAW
Combine jicama, carrot, bell pepper and cilantro in a mixing bowl.
Toss with olive oil, lime juice and season with salt. Serve right away.
FOR THE PLATE UP
Place on small amount of the slaw in the center of serving plate.
Lay one piece of chicken breast against slaw.
Drizzle chipotle sauce around.
Serve.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Madam Belle's Silver Dollar Saloon - Richfield, WI
Drink up the ambiance at Madam Belle's Silver Dollar Saloon
You simply will not believe everything of note I learned at Madam Belle's Silver Dollar Saloon. The place is bursting with history, legend, pride in ownership, and happy patrons. I spoke with owner Chaz Hastings to get the big picture.
Cool building stuff and lore
Madam Belle's is one of the older buildings in the Richfield/Germantown area. The time line Chaz has been trying to put together has some anomalies in it, but he's heard the building dates to about the 1870s. There is a house next door with identical timbers that can be dated to that time frame. Rollie Bast (Riteway Bus Service), told Chaz he can remember the place was a filling station when he was a kid. However, Chaz also heard it became a saloon by the 1920s. The building was purchased by Cybil and Mike Schweitzer, who turned it into a drinking establishment they named The Silver Dollar. They added a second story with 12 bedrooms, but had no intention of opening a boarding house. The Silver Dollar is located on Fond du Lac Avenue, which was an important early route between Milwaukee, Chicago and northern Wisconsin. The watering hole did a brisk business, and so did the ladies in its upstairs rooms! Legend has it that Cybil and Mike were robbed the very first week they opened, and that Frank Capone stopped there more than once. Chaz pointed out two bullet holes in the northwest wall of the building, said to have been made by a shoot out in the bar. One other tasty tidbit Chaz heard is that just like drink chips, early patrons could purchase, swap or give away upstairs chips. Hah, chippie chips?
Chaz, Harleys and more
After Mike passed away, Cybil ran the saloon until sometime in the 1960s. Since then, it was passed to a number of different owners, one of whom named it "The Filling Station," acknowledging one part of the building's history. When Chaz Hastings came into the picture, it was called Cody's Bar. Chaz is the owner of Milwaukee Harley-Davidson, Inc. "I had met Cody through Milwaukee Harley," he explained, "Cody told me the bullet holes in the bar are attributed to Frank Capone, by the way. Anyway, I was looking into buying some bikini contest rights from him, and Cody wanted me to buy the bar too. The contest thing never panned out, but that's how I ended up in the bar business." That was three years ago. Chaz explained that Milwaukee Harley Davidson is about lifestyles, not just motorcycles. "I thought that one of the premier riding spots in the state is Holy Hill," said Chaz. "And this bar would be on one end of that ride. Since then, I bought Tally Ho in Erin, on the other end of the ride, and Bottoms Up, which is close to the dealership. So I can offer food, drink and special activities to bike clubs, customers and friends."
When Chaz bought the tavern, it was only closed one week to jump start renovations, which are ongoing. "We put in a brand new bar with an epoxy top," recounted Chaz. "We have all kinds of area "relics" under the epoxy. We removed carpet from the floors and exposed the original hardwood." Actually, the whole establishment sports rustic hardwood, with the most dramatic being the huge timbers Mike Schweitzer cut down on the property and used as ceiling beams and supports for the new second story. They are very unusual, and bear his original hatchet markings. Chaz also updated the plumbing and electrical, added a new sound system, nice TVs and a kitchen. The saloon previously had no food service. A lot of the work was accomplished by friends Jason Pipkorn and J. J. Krenz. "They were customers here before I bought the bar, and they're also tradesmen," said Chaz. "And, since Milwaukee Harley Davidson is a pretty time-consuming business, they've also come on board here with me as partners. It's also good that they're both from the area. You will always see one of us here during the Friday night fish fry, meeting customers and working, We're very owner-involved."
Antiques and memorabilia
"When we first got in here," said Chaz, "there was no theme. But history was everywhere, the brothel and filling station background and the old building itself, with all the rough hewn wood. So we began gathering items to decorate the walls with: old signs, including an old Harley sign, old beer signs and paraphernalia, old religious pieces (ties in with Holy Hill) and there are even old family items. I have a photo of my great grandparents, one of my wife and her family in old costumes, even a large mirror that was passed down in my family. We also have the original bell hanging behind the bar." This is the last piece of the puzzle in the saloon's name; Silver Dollar was original, the "madam" is obvious and the bell dates back to Cybil and Mike too. Cybil had a baby grand piano behind the bar. Legend has it that after a song finished, she would ring the bell and flash the crowd for tips!
What's happening now
Business was stable from the onset, as Chaz was able to use Milwaukee Harley Davidson to advertise the saloon and special events. "Plus," he said, "The business is steadily growing. I think there was just a need for a fun bar in the area. We have an adult, mature crowd, but it's a fun and friendly group. Cabelas' shoppers like to stop here for lunch, and we do events like poker runs for bikers." Customers enjoy a DJ on Thursday and Saturday nights, and the bar occasionally has live music for special events. They have a well attended fish fry and prime rib night. The menu features appetizers, burgers, other sandwiches, wraps, salads and soup of the day. For those who want lighter fare, there's a veggie wrap, a light salad dressing choice and pan fried options during the fish fry. Chaz and his partners are proud of their burgers, and will soon be instituting an ongoing burger-eating contest. It will be time based - i.e.. how many burgers eaten in the fastest time? "We are going to have lots of great prizes for that contest at the end of the year," said Chad. "We'll be advertising for it soon." Remodeling is ongoing, as stated. The basement is being redone for private parties, an outside deck with seats will be added for smokers and the website will be updated shortly. "We're also continually looking for more antiques to decorate with," said Chaz. "First time visitors should really spend some time walking around taking a look at everything before they settle in. We would also be very pleased if anyone with knowledge or memorabilia about the early history of the place would stop in. We'd love to hear it. We're becoming greater and greater history buffs." Chaz added that General Manager Sandy Burkhardt is usually behind the bar and always happy to chat. Madam Belle's Silver Dollar Saloon is located at W204 N14025 Fond du Lac Ave. (Hwy. 145). The phone number is 262-677-9272 and the website is www.madambelles.com. They are open seven days a week.
Sandy Burkhardt shared the following recipe, which is always her contribution for free half time food during Packer games. She says it “scores big” with all the patrons.
Sandy's Half-time Banana Bread
1 1/2 to 2 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Mix well
Add 1 1/2 cups of flour
Mix well
Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven at 350º. Grease a bread pan. Pour batter into greased bread pan and bake for
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour & 15 minutes, until the top is light brown. Or, just stop in next Packer Season & enjoy it at half-time!
You simply will not believe everything of note I learned at Madam Belle's Silver Dollar Saloon. The place is bursting with history, legend, pride in ownership, and happy patrons. I spoke with owner Chaz Hastings to get the big picture.
Cool building stuff and lore
Madam Belle's is one of the older buildings in the Richfield/Germantown area. The time line Chaz has been trying to put together has some anomalies in it, but he's heard the building dates to about the 1870s. There is a house next door with identical timbers that can be dated to that time frame. Rollie Bast (Riteway Bus Service), told Chaz he can remember the place was a filling station when he was a kid. However, Chaz also heard it became a saloon by the 1920s. The building was purchased by Cybil and Mike Schweitzer, who turned it into a drinking establishment they named The Silver Dollar. They added a second story with 12 bedrooms, but had no intention of opening a boarding house. The Silver Dollar is located on Fond du Lac Avenue, which was an important early route between Milwaukee, Chicago and northern Wisconsin. The watering hole did a brisk business, and so did the ladies in its upstairs rooms! Legend has it that Cybil and Mike were robbed the very first week they opened, and that Frank Capone stopped there more than once. Chaz pointed out two bullet holes in the northwest wall of the building, said to have been made by a shoot out in the bar. One other tasty tidbit Chaz heard is that just like drink chips, early patrons could purchase, swap or give away upstairs chips. Hah, chippie chips?
Chaz, Harleys and more
After Mike passed away, Cybil ran the saloon until sometime in the 1960s. Since then, it was passed to a number of different owners, one of whom named it "The Filling Station," acknowledging one part of the building's history. When Chaz Hastings came into the picture, it was called Cody's Bar. Chaz is the owner of Milwaukee Harley-Davidson, Inc. "I had met Cody through Milwaukee Harley," he explained, "Cody told me the bullet holes in the bar are attributed to Frank Capone, by the way. Anyway, I was looking into buying some bikini contest rights from him, and Cody wanted me to buy the bar too. The contest thing never panned out, but that's how I ended up in the bar business." That was three years ago. Chaz explained that Milwaukee Harley Davidson is about lifestyles, not just motorcycles. "I thought that one of the premier riding spots in the state is Holy Hill," said Chaz. "And this bar would be on one end of that ride. Since then, I bought Tally Ho in Erin, on the other end of the ride, and Bottoms Up, which is close to the dealership. So I can offer food, drink and special activities to bike clubs, customers and friends."
When Chaz bought the tavern, it was only closed one week to jump start renovations, which are ongoing. "We put in a brand new bar with an epoxy top," recounted Chaz. "We have all kinds of area "relics" under the epoxy. We removed carpet from the floors and exposed the original hardwood." Actually, the whole establishment sports rustic hardwood, with the most dramatic being the huge timbers Mike Schweitzer cut down on the property and used as ceiling beams and supports for the new second story. They are very unusual, and bear his original hatchet markings. Chaz also updated the plumbing and electrical, added a new sound system, nice TVs and a kitchen. The saloon previously had no food service. A lot of the work was accomplished by friends Jason Pipkorn and J. J. Krenz. "They were customers here before I bought the bar, and they're also tradesmen," said Chaz. "And, since Milwaukee Harley Davidson is a pretty time-consuming business, they've also come on board here with me as partners. It's also good that they're both from the area. You will always see one of us here during the Friday night fish fry, meeting customers and working, We're very owner-involved."
Antiques and memorabilia
"When we first got in here," said Chaz, "there was no theme. But history was everywhere, the brothel and filling station background and the old building itself, with all the rough hewn wood. So we began gathering items to decorate the walls with: old signs, including an old Harley sign, old beer signs and paraphernalia, old religious pieces (ties in with Holy Hill) and there are even old family items. I have a photo of my great grandparents, one of my wife and her family in old costumes, even a large mirror that was passed down in my family. We also have the original bell hanging behind the bar." This is the last piece of the puzzle in the saloon's name; Silver Dollar was original, the "madam" is obvious and the bell dates back to Cybil and Mike too. Cybil had a baby grand piano behind the bar. Legend has it that after a song finished, she would ring the bell and flash the crowd for tips!
What's happening now
Business was stable from the onset, as Chaz was able to use Milwaukee Harley Davidson to advertise the saloon and special events. "Plus," he said, "The business is steadily growing. I think there was just a need for a fun bar in the area. We have an adult, mature crowd, but it's a fun and friendly group. Cabelas' shoppers like to stop here for lunch, and we do events like poker runs for bikers." Customers enjoy a DJ on Thursday and Saturday nights, and the bar occasionally has live music for special events. They have a well attended fish fry and prime rib night. The menu features appetizers, burgers, other sandwiches, wraps, salads and soup of the day. For those who want lighter fare, there's a veggie wrap, a light salad dressing choice and pan fried options during the fish fry. Chaz and his partners are proud of their burgers, and will soon be instituting an ongoing burger-eating contest. It will be time based - i.e.. how many burgers eaten in the fastest time? "We are going to have lots of great prizes for that contest at the end of the year," said Chad. "We'll be advertising for it soon." Remodeling is ongoing, as stated. The basement is being redone for private parties, an outside deck with seats will be added for smokers and the website will be updated shortly. "We're also continually looking for more antiques to decorate with," said Chaz. "First time visitors should really spend some time walking around taking a look at everything before they settle in. We would also be very pleased if anyone with knowledge or memorabilia about the early history of the place would stop in. We'd love to hear it. We're becoming greater and greater history buffs." Chaz added that General Manager Sandy Burkhardt is usually behind the bar and always happy to chat. Madam Belle's Silver Dollar Saloon is located at W204 N14025 Fond du Lac Ave. (Hwy. 145). The phone number is 262-677-9272 and the website is www.madambelles.com. They are open seven days a week.
Sandy Burkhardt shared the following recipe, which is always her contribution for free half time food during Packer games. She says it “scores big” with all the patrons.
Sandy's Half-time Banana Bread
1 1/2 to 2 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Mix well
Add 1 1/2 cups of flour
Mix well
Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven at 350º. Grease a bread pan. Pour batter into greased bread pan and bake for
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour & 15 minutes, until the top is light brown. Or, just stop in next Packer Season & enjoy it at half-time!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Jean Soyk, Professional Organizer, "Making Your Life Easier"
January is well underway and if you're like most people, you've already broken your New Year's resolution. If you resolved to get organized in 2010 and you're still unsure how to get started, then Jean Soyk of Organized Nest, LLC. can help. January is Get Organized Month. According to a recent survey conducted on behalf of National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), respondents agree getting organized is definitely a necessity. Of those polled, 71 percent said their quality of life would improve if they were better organized. 65 percent described their home as at least moderately disorganized and 27 percent said disorder keeps them from being effective at work.
As Jean will tell you starting is one of the toughest things. Experts suggest finding a de-cluttering buddy. An honest friend or a hired organizer can help you put things in perspective and part with items you just don’t need anymore. Jean, who lives in West Bend, started her business, Organized Nest, LLC in 2008. She enjoyed the TV show Clean Sweep. Professional Organizer Peter Walsh would help people with their overwhelming rooms of clutter and Jean would say “I want that job” as she watched the show. She joined NAPO, which the national organization and then NAPO-Wisconsin. Jean enjoys the satisfaction of helping people take a space that is not usable and turn it into functional space that they can be proud of. She takes clutter out and replaces it with organization - giving people the time and space to enjoy their home. Jean was especially excited that she recently spent a day helping fellow organizers work on a home in Milwaukee for the TV show Hoarders. The episode should air within the next couple of weeks.
Since virtually everyone is either organizationally challenged, obsessed or perpetually in progress Jean offered the following tips:
• Realize that organization does not mean having a perfect space, but a space where you can find things easily.
• Start with a small space, and don’t leave the area until done. It is too easy to get distracted when putting something else away, just make a box for things that don’t belong in that space and don’t put it away until you are done with the area you are working on.
• Keep like things together and in the space that you use them. She said this is a great technique for your closet. You may think you need to buy another turtleneck but when you group them together you realize you already have three.
• Keep the things you use most in the areas that are easiest to access.
• Set aside time to work on the projects and allow enough time.
• Allocate small amounts of time every day to maintain the space.
• Remember, every person is unique and each solution is unique.
• Jean is especially fond of the clothes hanger trick. Reverse the way your clothes are hung in your closet. When you wear and return an item, replace the hanger the correct way around. At the end of a season or year you can clearly see what you haven’t worn and what you can live without.
Jean recently worked on a pantry project in West Bend. It was a relatively quick and inexpensive project. Jean and the homeowner took everything out of the pantry and sorted by general category (for example: canned, baking, appliances, plastic containers). They checked expiration dates and made sure there was matching lids to containers. Any unused or duplicate items were donated. After a thorough cleaning and the purchase of $40 of containers for food and storage they were ready to put things back. Jean believes it is important to take several factors into consideration when placing items. You should consider things like how often an item is used, do the kids need to be able to reach it and can you easily see what was there. This project was completed in 3 hours and really makes the space more functional.
Organized Nest can help you organize spaces large and small. Jean can help with the process of downsizing to a smaller home or assisting families clean out a home or an apartment after a loved one has passed away. She also offers her services to pack and unpack for a move or to prepare a home to be sold. She also can serve as a mentor, teaching as you organize together. Like exercising, sometimes you need a trainer to keep you accountable and moving forward. Jean can guide, focus and motivate you. Once organized you will save time and space.
Jean prepares an electronic newsletter with tips and ideas. To receive it send her an email to organizednest@sbcglobal.net. Jean said she also is happy to make presentations on organization to groups. She can also be reached at 262-355-5355. Her website is organizednestLLC.com <http://organizednestllc.com/> .
Jean is sharing two recipes that she submitted from the Soyk family cookbook.
Tortellini Sausage Soup
6-8 cups chicken broth
1 lb. pork sausage with pizza seasoning
9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cups sliced carrots
1/2 cup celery
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Brown pork sausage and drain. To get more grease off, place paper towel over newspaper, spread the meat on top for 15 minutes to drain. In large kettle, combine chicken broth, meat, tortellini, carrot, celery. Bring to a boil and continue for 8 minutes. Stir in parsley. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4-6 servings. You can also add a handful of another shaped noodle in to add variety, may need more broth too then.
Jean's note was that this recipe is "great to make a huge batch and freeze in several containers and then thaw for a quick meal."
Gina's Special K Bars
1 cup white sugar
1 cup white Karo syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups Special K cereal (can substitute other cereals such as Cheerios or Corn Flakes)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
Grease a big bowl and add cereal. Bring sugar and Karo syrup to a boil (or you can microwave it). Then add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir. Pour mixture over cereal and mix until cereal is evenly coated. Pad into greased pan. (For thicker bars, use 9" x 13" pan, or jelly sheet for thinner ones.) For topping, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips (can microwave these) until you can stir into a smooth mixture. Frost the bars and cut when cool.
These were Jean's mother-in-law's specialty. Gina passed away a year-and-a-half ago but this recipe will always be known as her bars.
As Jean will tell you starting is one of the toughest things. Experts suggest finding a de-cluttering buddy. An honest friend or a hired organizer can help you put things in perspective and part with items you just don’t need anymore. Jean, who lives in West Bend, started her business, Organized Nest, LLC in 2008. She enjoyed the TV show Clean Sweep. Professional Organizer Peter Walsh would help people with their overwhelming rooms of clutter and Jean would say “I want that job” as she watched the show. She joined NAPO, which the national organization and then NAPO-Wisconsin. Jean enjoys the satisfaction of helping people take a space that is not usable and turn it into functional space that they can be proud of. She takes clutter out and replaces it with organization - giving people the time and space to enjoy their home. Jean was especially excited that she recently spent a day helping fellow organizers work on a home in Milwaukee for the TV show Hoarders. The episode should air within the next couple of weeks.
Since virtually everyone is either organizationally challenged, obsessed or perpetually in progress Jean offered the following tips:
• Realize that organization does not mean having a perfect space, but a space where you can find things easily.
• Start with a small space, and don’t leave the area until done. It is too easy to get distracted when putting something else away, just make a box for things that don’t belong in that space and don’t put it away until you are done with the area you are working on.
• Keep like things together and in the space that you use them. She said this is a great technique for your closet. You may think you need to buy another turtleneck but when you group them together you realize you already have three.
• Keep the things you use most in the areas that are easiest to access.
• Set aside time to work on the projects and allow enough time.
• Allocate small amounts of time every day to maintain the space.
• Remember, every person is unique and each solution is unique.
• Jean is especially fond of the clothes hanger trick. Reverse the way your clothes are hung in your closet. When you wear and return an item, replace the hanger the correct way around. At the end of a season or year you can clearly see what you haven’t worn and what you can live without.
Jean recently worked on a pantry project in West Bend. It was a relatively quick and inexpensive project. Jean and the homeowner took everything out of the pantry and sorted by general category (for example: canned, baking, appliances, plastic containers). They checked expiration dates and made sure there was matching lids to containers. Any unused or duplicate items were donated. After a thorough cleaning and the purchase of $40 of containers for food and storage they were ready to put things back. Jean believes it is important to take several factors into consideration when placing items. You should consider things like how often an item is used, do the kids need to be able to reach it and can you easily see what was there. This project was completed in 3 hours and really makes the space more functional.
Organized Nest can help you organize spaces large and small. Jean can help with the process of downsizing to a smaller home or assisting families clean out a home or an apartment after a loved one has passed away. She also offers her services to pack and unpack for a move or to prepare a home to be sold. She also can serve as a mentor, teaching as you organize together. Like exercising, sometimes you need a trainer to keep you accountable and moving forward. Jean can guide, focus and motivate you. Once organized you will save time and space.
Jean prepares an electronic newsletter with tips and ideas. To receive it send her an email to organizednest@sbcglobal.net. Jean said she also is happy to make presentations on organization to groups. She can also be reached at 262-355-5355. Her website is organizednestLLC.com <http://organizednestllc.com/> .
Jean is sharing two recipes that she submitted from the Soyk family cookbook.
Tortellini Sausage Soup
6-8 cups chicken broth
1 lb. pork sausage with pizza seasoning
9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cups sliced carrots
1/2 cup celery
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Brown pork sausage and drain. To get more grease off, place paper towel over newspaper, spread the meat on top for 15 minutes to drain. In large kettle, combine chicken broth, meat, tortellini, carrot, celery. Bring to a boil and continue for 8 minutes. Stir in parsley. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4-6 servings. You can also add a handful of another shaped noodle in to add variety, may need more broth too then.
Jean's note was that this recipe is "great to make a huge batch and freeze in several containers and then thaw for a quick meal."
Gina's Special K Bars
1 cup white sugar
1 cup white Karo syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups Special K cereal (can substitute other cereals such as Cheerios or Corn Flakes)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
Grease a big bowl and add cereal. Bring sugar and Karo syrup to a boil (or you can microwave it). Then add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir. Pour mixture over cereal and mix until cereal is evenly coated. Pad into greased pan. (For thicker bars, use 9" x 13" pan, or jelly sheet for thinner ones.) For topping, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips (can microwave these) until you can stir into a smooth mixture. Frost the bars and cut when cool.
These were Jean's mother-in-law's specialty. Gina passed away a year-and-a-half ago but this recipe will always be known as her bars.
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