Balsamic Rosemary Easter Ham

Happy Easter!

About 5 or 6 years ago, I decided that I was going to host Easter Brunch for my family. This was going to be my first time hosting any holiday for my family. I was nervous…. Lol. Good thing, for me, is that Easter is normally only 5-8 people.

But, I knew I was going to have to make a ham. You eat ham on Easter, and I was going to make one!

My first couple hams didn’t turn out too bad, but they weren’t awesome either. I knew I had to find the best ham recipe and perfect it.

And, I did! So, I thought I’d share the recipe with everyone!

Enjoy!

Rosemary Balsamic Easter Ham

4-5 lb ham, bone in
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. grainy mustard
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat your oven to 375F.

Place your ham in a baking dish. Deeply score the layer of fat on the top of the ham with a sharp knife. Cover with foil and bake for an hour.

Stir the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, mustard and rosemary together in a small dish. Uncover the ham and brush the balsamic mixture all over the ham. Return it to the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting or bushing with the pan drippings, until cooked through and sticky. Let the ham rest for 5 minutes before carving. Serves 10-15 people.

Restaurants: Joe Rouer’s Bar – Luxemburg, WI

This is by far one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever had. Ever. I’m sure if you ask anyone who has been there, they will agree. There is nothing like a burger from Joe’s.

Joe Rouer’s has been around forever. They don’t need a website, or any advertising to get customers. Actually, I don’t think they even have a menu. People come from all over just to have a burger at Joe’s. Although I don’t know how they find it. I have been there many times and I have to remember when I see the “Duval” sign, turn right. This place is all word of mouth.

A burger from Joe’s can’t be made anywhere other than at Joe Rouer’s. They only use well seasoned cast iron pans. Not sure what else they do to them, but they are awesome.

The burgers are served on platter, and you don’t get a plate. Grab a BUNCH of napkins and go to work!

A cheeseburger with fried onions is my burger of choice. This baby is served on a super soft bun, the burger almost melts into the bun. I add ketchup and it’s perfect. It’s a mess to eat, as the grease runs down your hands and face, but it’s well worth it.

After you have one or two burgers, you will be stuffed. But DO NOT leave without having a piece of their poppyseed torte. If you can’t finish it, get it boxed. It is one of my favorite desserts.

If you see the sign for Duval, make the time to stop and have a burger at Joe’s!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Last week I was chatting with a fellow foodie client of mine. She was telling me about her recent vacation to Arizona. We always talk about what we ate each day we were on vacation. Lol.

She was telling me about these stuffed portobello mushrooms she ordered at one of her favorite restaurants there. Of course, the mushrooms were amazing and she had to find out what was in them. The waitress told her what the ingredients were, but not the specific recipe.

Guess what. I decided I was going to attempt to make them. Barb sent me the list of ingredients, and away I went.

I forwarded the list onto my husband, he thought it sounded good and said he would pick up everything I needed on his way home from work.

I emailed Barb and told her I was going to make them for dinner that night. She wanted me to kind of come up with a recipe, and if they turned out great, to share the recipe with her. They turned out AMAZING! So, I will share this recipe with you! Enjoy!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

6 portobello mushroom caps
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 T mayonnaise
1 T shredded Parmesan
1 T grated Parmesan
2 shakes onion powder
2 shakes garlic powder
1 pinch of salt
Red wine, for soaking
Shredded mozzarella cheese, just to sprinkle over top of mushrooms before broiling

Soak your mushroom caps in the red wine, about 5-10 min. Then, over medium heat, put your mushrooms in a pan and cover. This will steam the mushroom caps and cook them a bit. Steam for about 10-15 min, turning them once or twice. When you can feel the mushroom caps are cooked enough, transfer them to a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam, rounded side down.

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In a large bowl, mix the chopped artichokes, chopped spinach, mayo, Parmesan, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Scoop the mixture, evenly, into each mushroom cap. Then, top with the mozzarella cheese. Broil for 10-12 min, until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Restaurants Review: Koko Sushi Bar and Lounge – Green Bay

Koko used to be my favorite place to go for sushi. They had good drinks, great rolls, and a cool atmosphere. But, the last few times I have been there, it has been a bust.

My husband and I went this past Friday with some friends. We met at 6:30 and were prepared to wait an hour for a table. The minute we sat at the bar our problems started. Trying to get a bartender to acknowledge you was the first problem, and trying to actually get a drink was the second problem. The bar isn’t huge, but they only had two bartenders working on a Friday night. Really? Koko is busy almost all the time, two bartenders are not going to do the trick on a Friday night.

About an hour and fifteen minutes later, we were taken to our table. Since there were seven of us, we were seated at a very large circular table in a semi-secluded area. The table was big enough to seat 10-12 people, and was way too big for us. We seriously had to yell across the table to have a conversation. Plus, they had live music…. It wasn’t very good either.

After we were seated at our table, unbeknownst to the rest of us, our friend started the timer on his phone from the minute we sat down. It took 20 minutes for a server to come and greet us. We had empty drinks and were starving. So, we immediately ordered drinks, 3 orders of calamari, 3 orders of edamame, and an assorted sashimi plate. It took about 20 minutes to get our drinks, they didn’t have some of the sashimi we wanted, and about 40 minutes to get our appetizers.

Once we finally got our appetizers, we immediately ordered the rolls we were going to have for dinner. Of course, we ordered 3 Godzilla Rolls, because they are the most popular, and 6 other rolls. I know sushi takes a bit longer to serve, as they have to roll everything fresh. One hour and 2 minutes after we placed our dinner order, we still didn’t have our rolls….

Needless to say, this 4 hour dining experience was horrible. We did talk to the manager, but he seemed just as frustrated as the rest of us. I really give him credit as he sat down and seemed to really listen to us.

Koko used to be so good, but is going downhill fast. The wait times for anything, customer service and overall experience isn’t worth it anymore. I may have just ate my last meal there.

Philly Cheesesteak Dip

Thought I’d share my new favorite dip with you! Super easy and soooo good!!! This is definitely going to be my new go-to dip.

I made it in a crock pot, but you could also bake it. Whatever is easiest for you!

Philly Cheesesteak Dip

6 oz deli roast beef
1 clove garlic, diced
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 onion chopped, optional
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 green pepper diced
2 1/2 cups provolone cheese, grated or chopped

Mix all ingredients together.

If baking, preheat oven to 375. Place minute into a greased oven safe pan. Bake for 20-25 min or until golden brown.

If cooking in a crock pot, spray inside of crock pot with cooking spray. Place all ingredients in inside of crock pot, microwave on high, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Then, turn crock pot to low to keep warm.

Serve with bread, sliced rolls, crackers, etc!

Enjoy!

Mincemeat Pie????

Who has even eaten Mincemeat Pie?Seriously, it just sounds disgusting. I would never order it or even think to have someone make it for me.

So there’s a client of the salon that makes pies. She was here a few weeks ago and we were asking her about all the kinds of pies she makes. She told us that she gets requests to make Mincemeat Pie. Immediately, my coworker, Ashleigh and I made grossed out faces. The 3 of us continued to have a detailed conversation about what mince meat is.

Of course, I had to google it. The description of it is not good. It comes in a jar and is explained by Wikipedia as : Typically its ingredients were a mixture of minced meat, suet, a range of fruits, and spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

After her appointment was finished, we were chatting by the front desk and she told Ash and I that she would make us a Mincemeat Pie and bring it to us when she came for her next appointment….

She showed up this morning, one week later, with a Mincemeat Pie. No, she did not have an appointment, she just thought she would drop one off as it was still fresh in our minds.

Now, this woman must be a great pie maker, because when we opened the box, there was a beautiful, perfectly cooked pie in it. Even if it wasn’t good, she made it look good!

Immediately we were nervous to try it. I mean, was it going to taste like ground meat with apples and cinnamon??? Yuck! But, we brought it into the break room and looked at it for a bit, knowing we were going to HAVE to try it.

So, I grabbed a knife, forks, and a plate. There was no way each of us were going to have our own piece. One small slice of this pie was going to be cut. So, I cut it. A small slice of pie. We were even scared to see what the filling looked like!

Then, the time had come. We had to take a bite. Ash and I looked at each other, counted to three and took our bites….

It was actually good! Tasted a bit like a mixed apple, pear, cinnamon pie! Seriously, it wasn’t bad! I’m still shocked. I can honestly say, that if I were at someone’s house and they were offering it as dessert, I would have a piece! We actually had more of it!

After this pie she made, I would order ANY pie from her! If she can 1 -make Mincemeat Pie look good, and 2 – make it taste good, her other pies have to be amazing!

Once we get a hold of her, and she is ok with me putting her name and contact info on here, I will add it to this post!

My mom always said, “You have to try everything at least once, otherwise you will never know if you like it.”! Well that has proved true, once again!

Restaurant : Wally’s Spot – Green Bay, WI

Wally’s Spot has been around forever and just a few months ago, we decided to go with my parents for dinner. I had driven by it a thousands times, but never had been there! It was great!

“The Spot”, as some call it, is an old fashioned supper club. They have a huge bar where you can order your favorite Old Fashioned and snack on veggies, crackers, and spreads from a huge relish tray while you wait for your table.

The menu here is fantastic. You can start off with a shrimp cocktail or stuffed mushrooms before you decide on your entree. All entrees include house Caesar or salad bar, a cup of homemade soup, vegetable of the day, choice of potato and homemade bread.

I always choose the salad bar and the baked French onion soup with whatever entree I have! The salad bar is a classic salad bar. Chopped hard boiled eggs, bacon bits, peas, etc… It’s great, in addition to, the homemade bread topped with melted butter they bring to your table!

All my entrees have been great. The Nova Scotia Scallops ($22.95) are great. Although, they come served over pasta, which is not stated on the menu, they were cooked perfectly. I also love the Regular Cut Tenderloin Wrapped in Bacon ($21.95 + $2.95 for Oscar). Of course, I added the Oscar to mine. Who doesn’t love asparagus, crab and hollandaise sauce?

When you are done with dinner, head back to the bar for an after dinner drink or your choice of ice cream drink. The bartenders here know how to make any and all ice cream drinks. They are fantastic!

If you are looking for a classic Wisconsin supper club experience, head over to Wally’s Spot, you won’t be disappointed.

Mexicorn Dip

I love anything made with corn! I’ll eat creamed corn, corn on the cob, corn from a can, etc… So, when I came across this recipe, I knew I was going to love it, and so would my Dad. (At least there would be 2 of us who would eat it.) Actually, everyone ate it and loved it!

I decided to make it for a football game this fall. Little did I know I would be making this dip all the time! I bet I gave this recipe out at least 50 times!

It makes quite a bit more than you think, but I doubt you will have any left over.

Mexicorn Dip

2 (11 oz) cans of mexicorn, drained
1/2 can chopped green chilies
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
8 oz shredded cheddar
1 C mayonnaise
1 C sour cream

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Serve with Frito Scoops or tortilla chips.

Super easy! Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Restaurants: Plae Bistro, Green Bay

Plae Bistro is one of my favorite restaurants in Green Bay for multiple reasons: Good food, drinks, atmosphere, and service.

Plae Bistro.

Plae is a great place to take business associates for lunch and/or dinner, meet friends for dinner and drinks, celebrate a special occasion, or just stop in after work when you don’t feel like making dinner.

Seating is limited and this place is popular, so I strongly suggest making reservations for lunch or dinner.

From salads to hamburgers, pasta, fresh fish and steak, the pickiest eater will be sure to find something! Food allergy? Not a problem, the menu has many gluten free options, along with some vegan options, and the kitchen can prepare a full meal for someone with Celiac Disease. They even offer gluten free bread service and dessert.

I often get asked “Isn’t Plae really expensive?”. The answer is: If you were to order appetizers, drinks, entrees and desserts at Plae, I don’t think it will cost much more than if you ordered all that at an Applebee’s or a Chili’s.

The other question I get a lot is: “What’s your favorite thing to get when you eat there?”. That is a question with many answers! Seriously. It really depends on the day I go, what I’m feeling that day. When that question is asked, I do a run down of the menu in my head. Ha, ha…. I know it’s ridiculous. Although, my all time favorite entree is the Pan-Seared Duck with whatever the risotto is that day and the veggie of the day. I think most people don’t think to order duck if they have never tried it, but honestly, try it at Plae. If I’m in the mood for something lighter, but want the risotto too (which is 90% of the time), I go with the Pecan Encrusted Scallops on the “Shareable Plates” section of the menu. You get two u-10 seared scallops with a mushroom mascarpone sauce AND risotto all for $12! It’s a perfect amount for me some nights as my meal.

My husband often orders the Ahi Tuna BLT ($11.50) served rare with applewood smoked bacon, wasabi aioli served on whole wheat or the Plae Burger ($13) when he’s not in the mood for a full entree. The burgers and sandwiches are all served with your choice of mixed greens or chips and salsa.

He and I are also both big fans of the Crab Tenderloin ($38), topped with crab meat and a merlot reduction, and the Pecan-encrusted Walleye ($24). All entrees come with your choice of two sides: seasonal vegetables, mushroom spaetzle, wild rice blend, risotto, or potato.

Always make sure to save room for dessert. They have a great variety of desserts. The carrot cake is always my first choice, but is enough for two or three people. A flour less chocolate cake is always offered too for people who need to eat gluten free.

If you haven’t been to Plae Bistro, don’t wait, go soon! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Oopsie Rolls

Since I have to eat gluten free, and always seem to be trying to cut carbs, I can never quite find bread that is low in calories, carbs, and gluten free.

A few months ago, I came across this recipe for Oopsie Rolls…. Wasn’t sure how they were going to taste or turn out when u made them. But, it turns out they are awesome! I’ve had them as a hamburger bun, put chicken salad on them, made BLT’s with them, and even just eat them by themselves as a snack. The only bummer is that u have to make them and can’t buy them pre-made.

They are so easy to make, actually taste like a bun, and you can add things to make them different favors. I’ve added dill, dry Hidden Valley Ranch, and garlic salt and Parmesan so far. You could probably add cinnamon and/sugar or honey to make them sweet.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Oopsie Rolls

Makes 6

3 oz cream cheese
3 eggs
1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar

Preheat oven to 300. Separate the egg whites and yolks into separate mixing bowls. Add the Cream of Tartar to the egg whites, and whip until you get stiff peaks. (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer and whip them for about 3-5 min.). Then add the cream cheese to your egg yolks. Mix until smooth. Next, slowly fold the cream cheese and egg yolk mixture to your egg whites. Spray a cooking sheet with Pam or a cooking spray, then spoon the mixture onto the cookie sheet, making 6 mounds.

Bake for 30-35 min. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a cooling rack.

You can store them in ziploc bags on the counter, but do not seal the bags, they will be too moist.

Nutritional Info per roll:
Calories: 85
Carbs: .6g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: .6
Protein: 4g
Fat: 7.5