January 26, 2011

Put more Green in your Wallet – Even on Your Next Coffee Run in Lake Geneva!

Posted to Green Living, Rentals

Do you share in the coffee addiction with the rest of us? You may not realize but there are now great offerings that allow you to save on that daily expense.  On average, 16 billion paper cups are used in the United States each year, according to www.aboutmyplanet.com. Just imagine how many trees had to be used to make each of those cups. A great way to save our earth from losing more trees and keeping more trash out of our dumps is to simply BYOM (bring your own mug). That’s right; bring your own coffee mug the next time you head to your favorite local coffee shop.

Many local shops are even rewarding those who do BYOM.

  • Starbucks of Lake Geneva offers 10 Cents off
  • Caribou Coffee of Lake Geneva offers 10 Cents off
  • Geneva Java of Lake Geneva offers 20 Cents off
  • Deakin Isle of Elkhorn offers a 25% discount

If you drank just one cup of coffee each day for a year and brought your own mug each time, you could save more than $30.00/year. For those who drink more than one cup a day… you could save even more! Be sure to cash in of the benefits of going green.

Be aware of your “foot print” in every aspect of your daily routine in the Lake Geneva area to help provide a cleaner and safer planet for future generations. From recycling paper during the holidays, turning your heat down a few degrees in the winter or simply BYOM in the morning for your coffee runs can pave the way to a happier environment and have a fund at the end of the year to treat yourself to something extra. You’ll have a great morning knowing you did your part!

Posted by:  Sharon Clark



January 04, 2011

Holiday Food Afterthoughts

Posted to Rentals

Many of us share favorite pastimes of the holidays that involve 2 things: family and FOOD. This tradition of cramming in the feasts in 2 days doesn’t have to be such. Why not continue to have the occasion of food shared between family and friends after the holiday rush? What better time to put those leftovers to good use. Below are a few of our favorite recipes which are both quick and easy but also make use of the common main entrée leftovers of ham, turkey and chicken.

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Crescent Braid 

1 1/2 cups cooked ham, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent roll dough (I used the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ham, broccoli, parsley, mustard and cheese. Stir well. (I actually found it was easiest to use my hands and mix everything up to evenly distribute the mustard and parsley.)

Unroll the crescent roll dough and arrange flat on an 11X17 baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough (adapt or eliminate this step if using the Recipe Creations or using homemade bread/crescent dough). Using a knife or scissors, cut one inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the filling along the center strip (it will be piled high but the strips will reach over the mound of filling when it is braided). Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or twist to seal.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden brown. Cut into slices and serve immediately.

BBQ Turkey Quesadillas
*Makes 4-5 large quesadillas

8 large burrito-size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded leftover cooked turkey
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, store-bought
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 (3.5 ounce) can green chilies, drained
2 cups shredded cheese, my favorite combo is Monterey jack and sharp cheddar
Sour cream, salsa, avocados for serving

Preheat a griddle or skillet on the stovetop to medium heat. In a medium bowl, toss together the turkey, barbecue sauce and green chilies. Spread an equal amount of this mixture on four of the tortillas (or five if you are spreading it thinner and making more quesadillas). Sprinkle the green onions over the top of the mixture and then top with the shredded cheese. Top with a tortilla and place the quesadillas on the griddle or stovetop, cooking for about 2-3 minutes each side until the tortillas are golden brown and crisp and the filling is hot and cheese is melted.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup 

*Note: this recipe calls for already cooked chicken. I usually cook the chicken breasts in the Crockpot with a little chicken broth the morning I make this soup, but you could also go ahead and cook the chicken in the first step with the onions and other vegetables that cook together. 

*Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots (about 2 regular carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
3 cups chicken broth
2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced (I like to leave the peels on red potatoes, if using them)
1 cup milk (1% is my milk of choice)
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese
2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn’t leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Serve.

For other great ideas for weekday meals, visit www.melskitchencafe.com. We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!

Posted by:  Sharon Clark