Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A real deer for the Holidays!

I'm getting a little ancy for the Holidays... I can't wait!

I was looking through some pics and came across these: animal topiaries, including a deer one! One of the companies I broker for, grows these great topiaries out of boxwoods, arborvitaes, and junipers- perfect for our harsh Midwest winters because they retain their green color (although not as lush as compared to Spring). They are completely real and definitely turn heads! They only require water and some hair cuts here and there.

Do you need a reindeer, just in time for the Holidays?
 Or maybe an elephant or sea creature?





I really like the deer, and would plant it in a landscape (maybe have Adam put some Christmas lights on it...) but these others would be perfect for a children's garden/ park somewhere!

This goes to show, there are no limits when it comes to gardening....

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sewing projects

In the past couple of days, I have been keeping busy by making some dresses, skirts, shirts, and a jacket because I have been a little too picky at the stores. I either like the styles and hate the colors, or like the colors and hate the styles. I can drive myself a little crazy.

I grew up around sewing and really enjoy it. Every Christmas and Easter, my mom would make dresses for the special church occasions. Usually it involved lots of sparkly fabrics and layers (especially Christmas). I probably resembled a small cupcake, and the more I think about it- maybe that is why I put my foot down and went with a short vintage inspired wedding dress. Here's a pic...I didn't make this dress.




I went to the fabric store during Small Business Saturday. I picked out some amazing patterns ( DKNY, Michael Kors, and others!) and some wonderful fabrics. At the moment, I'm working on a dress, but I have lots of others that I hope to accomplish this winter. Stay tuned....

Friday, November 26, 2010

The very first Krupicka Thanksgiving

Yesterday was a pretty big day for us- our first Thanksgiving! I have to admit, it was a little over the top...

We hosted the event and had friends over, starting with drinks and appetizers and then a full Thanksgiving meal. For the wedding, Adam and I received plenty of wonderful cooking utensils and pieces of our china pattern: Spode Woodland. It was such a great time putting these presents to good use!

The chaos started the night before. We were on the hunt for placemats and couldn't find any to match our unique china pattern. So, that meant a field trip to the fabric store and making our own placemats. They had a wonderful canvas fabric that matched the pattern perfectly.

Thanksgiving day, meant picking up fresh flowers and arranging them for the tables. I picked up ornamental cabbages, mums, goldenrod, and a few sunflowers. I was thinking more along the lines of oranges and yellows, but the mums were in yellow, purple, and red. All in all, it worked well with the cabbages.



Then the cooking began. We had jalapeno and cilantro marinated shrimp, the famous Prairiefire dip, cheese and meat trays, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, salad with dried cranberries and walnuts, Grandma E's homemade rolls, cranberries, turkey, sweet potatoes (my favorite!), and a homemade pumpkin pie. It feels like there should be more? My friend Becky brought over a delicious pumpkin roll, which I have never had in the Midwest but its amazing! Other friends brought over a sweet potato pie, Bang Bang shrimp (similar to Bonefish Grill, one of my favorite hangouts), and collards.

We were absolutely stuffed and struggling to stay awake afterwards.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with great food, friends, family, and maybe even a little football!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Proposal... all over a recipe!

With Thanksgiving, comes the anniversary of the unique proposal.

As I mentioned before, Adam (my now husband) and I like to cook, a lot. He had this recipe he would make for get togethers called Prairiefire. Its a cheese dip with layers of flavor- sweet, hot, spicy- and its best with Fritoes corn chips. He said he wouldn't share it with me until we were engaged or married, so I would try and guess the ingredients. I would always come so close to getting the recipe, but no luck.

Anyways, we were in Arizona for Thanksgiving two years ago. Adam's parents had built a home outside of Tucson and it is a great getaway, especially during the Holidays. It was raining that morning and Adam was acting strange. Turns out, he wanted to go on a hike in the Catalina mountains and that is where the proposal was going to happen. The day before, Adam's parents hiked the trail and hid a box under some rocks. In the box, was the recipe for Prairiefire. Here's the backside- I would get in trouble if I shared it...



We made it to the pools, Adam found the little rock pile with the recipe card. He was trying to talk to me about geocatching (where you leave little treasures for other hikers to find and can map it out on GPS, I still really don't know all that well exactly!). I was in shock, and said yes. After my arms stopped flailing, I tried the ring on, which was custom made from a private family jeweler in Chicago. It was beautiful and we hiked down the mountains, to his family. Later on that day, we had Thanksgiving dinner/ engagement party and frozen Champagne (Adam's dad left it in the freezer to chill, and it was a little forgotten).

We received a really nice gift from Adam's family: a recipe box. Throughout the vacation, Adam and I were busy copying family recipes. Adam's grandma offered up lots of great recipes from her mother. It was a really special time.

Tomorrow is the big Thanksgiving dinner, the first official Krupicka one. We are having friends over and entertaining in Northern Virginia. Before that, lots and lots to do (grocery shopping, floral arrangement, making placements, tons of cooking and cleaning!). It will be a late night and early morning, but well worth it.

Enjoy yours!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Salad dressing crisis

Tonight we had spinach ravioli, green beans, and a fresh salad. I was really looking forward to the fresh salad.

After I washed and prepared the salad greens, tomatoes, onions, and Parmesan cheese- I found out that Adam pitched the small collection of salad dressings because they were a little older. I left for the Midwest last year in January, so its probably fair. 

So, I thought about driving to the grocery store but decided against it because of the traffic. Traffic in Northern Virginia is a nightmare (which is why I really, really, really appreciate Iowa's wide open spaces and not so much traffic).

Instead, we made our own dressing- mix these up to taste and I guarantee it beats anything you've had! The fresh, clean taste is unbelievable!

Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
lemon juice
lemon zest
salt and pepper

I'm ready for another (not really, but it was really delicious!).

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Birthday meal recipes...

The most amazing leftovers, ever!



Last night was the birthday meal: homemade pasta and homemade seafood alfredo. For a veggie, we had roasted asparagus and the dessert-  unbelievable triple chocolate mousse.

Here are some of the recipes...

Homemade Pasta
1 whole egg, plus 2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
unbleached white flour, approximately 2 cups (add enough so the dough is able to be kneaded and tacky)
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together and knead for approximately 10 minutes. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. We used the KitchenAid mixer with the pasta attachment (lovely wedding present!). Otherwise you could slice into thin strips. Place pasta in boiling water for approximately 8-10 minutes.


Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Heat 1 pint of heavy cream and 1 stick of butter. Once heated, add 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste, maybe even some corn starch to thicken.

Seafood
We cooked some fresh salmon (pan seared with olive oil, salt and pepper). Then placed in the stove and combined with garlic marinated shrimp. Combine with homemade pasta and alfredo.

I added some dill weed to my salmon portion- it was delicious. Adam is not a fan, but I was just fine with it! 

Enjoy!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Birthday Meal

So, I made to the Washington D.C. area safe and sound. Rocco (cat) and all.

My birthday was on Tuesday, but during that time I didn't really do anything too special. I was on the road visiting customers and Adam and I decided to have a cooking night once I arrived. That means that I pick out the menu and we go to one of our favorite places: Wegman's (http://www.wegmans.com). This grocery store is amazing- each one has its own pastry department that reminds me of my French adventures. I love to gawk and check out the tarts, cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, and tons of other sugary, heavenly treats. I have a sweet tooth, and also an amazing dentist in Fairfax, Virginia!

Here's the chocolate mousse... despite kind of a traumatic ride home. Regardless, it was absolutely delish!



We LOVE to cook... and I could grocery shop all day, anywhere! Sometimes Adam and I disagree about who is cooking but somehow, we don't starve. In fact, we usually make extras or try out new recipes, so we can be pretty popular at times! Adam even proposed over a secret family recipe- Prairie Fire... I will write about that next week.

Here's a pic of us...



Tonight, there's talk of salmon with homemade pasta, perhaps a dill/ olive oil sauce. Most likely, roasted asparagus with prosciutto and a special treat from Wegman's. We might even make a cake. Either way, I will bring my appetite!

Stay turned...

Friday, November 19, 2010

Getting ready for the Holidays: Fresh Greens!

My favorite time of the year is fast approaching!

Thanksgiving is next week, in fact the very first Krupicka Thanksgiving! I will be traveling to Northern Virginia but before that, I am having some holiday greens orders ship in from Oregon. There is nothing like fresh cut greens in a home around the Holidays. I have been getting samples sent to me and have noticed that when they come in, the UPS guy is a little extra chatty.

Our company is teaming up with P. Allen Smith for an exclusive line of holiday greens. We also have the basic greens (wreaths, roping, centerpieces, and much more!). All of these are handmade, collected from the mountains in Oregon. They are gorgeous and would make excellent decorating pieces or gift items!

Here's a link to the website...
http://www.pitchengine.com/pallensmith/p-allen-smith-partners-with-berry -family-of-nurseries-to-launch-holiday-collection/74147/


 So after the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving, we will be picking out the perfect Christmas tree. We will probably go to Layng's Flower Farm in Aldie, Virginia to pick out the perfect Frasier Fir! Stay tuned....

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Little white lies... cheesecake edition

Little white lies can (and will) get you into trouble...

I was thinking about one of my birthday parties when I was about eight or nine. My grandma (bless her heart) made a cheesecake and we had a little celebration at the local nursing home, where my grandpa was at the time. Except this was no ordinary cheesecake- it was out of a box (no bake), made with sour milk (yes, I thought I was going to die), and sprinkles!

Usually I am excited about the sprinkles, cheesecake- it's ok, but not my favorite. My grandma kept asking me what I thought and I had to lie. I said it was delicious and I remember crossing my fingers under the table. And, that is how to this day, a cheesecake makes an appearance at every family member's birthday party and sometimes holiday gatherings. Obviously it has been perfected with all of the years of experience, but it is still out of the box. Sprinkles sometimes, even a cherry or strawberry topping to change things up a bit. When I left the Midwest and went to California, the cheesecake did not follow me but my family members were threatening to mail it.

 A couple of years ago, my then boyfriend, wanted to go to the Cheesecake Factory. After overcoming some mild anxiety, I gave in and LOVED it. In addition to their variety of menu items, I tried out the chocolate raspberry cheesecake and it was/ is fantastic! I might have to go back soon.

That summarizes my love/ hate relationship with cheesecake.

I love my grandma, and she hits home runs on some of her baked goods, just not the cheesecake.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Happy birthday to me...blizzard= two parties!

Today is the big day, I'm 27. I was thinking about my past birthday parties when I was growing up in Northwest Iowa. Maybe I'm exaggerating because I was small and you see things a bit differently, but I grew up having two party dates- one if we had a blizzard, one if we did not. Unfortunately one cake.

Maybe global warming, who knows. I haven't really had to worry about the two parties gig for a long time.It used to be blizzards on Halloween (so no Trick or Treating) to sometimes no snow on Christmas!

Being long distance from my (now) husband, I've had many birthdays when it is just me and some close friends. Because of this, we would usually postpone until Thanksgiving. Three years ago in Arizona over Thanksgiving, Lindsay (Adam's sister) made me a birthday cake but then Adam proposed, and the cake went from a 'Happy Birthday' Cake to a 'Love' Cake. It was delish!

Today I will be meeting with customers, and then getting ready to head out to Virginia to host the first ever Krupicka Thanksgiving. We have to put all the Williams-Sonoma wedding presents to good use.  I will probably pick up a cupcake and Starbucks to celebrate the occasion, keeping it pretty mild this year!

Here is a photo of me, when I was in North Carolina visiting.
I grabbed a Lime Ricky Coral Bell, one of my favorite plants!

Monday, November 15, 2010

You say tomato, I say summer come back!

Don't get me wrong, I do love fall and winter- just this 'in between seasons' time drives me a bit crazy. No snow yet, maybe some rain- but either way its COLD!

This weekend, I went to the Hy-Vee Wine and Food Expo in Des Moines and had some of the best fresh mozzarella (and wines and more wines)! It made me think of my September adventure to the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa for the Tomato Tasting.




Seed Savers is a non profit preservation group aimed at protecting flower and vegetable seeds that have been passed down for generations. These are unique cultivated varieties that sometimes have interesting shapes and colors, but they are known for FLAVOR! Usually not the prettiest tomatoes or the tougher disease resistance, like today's 'improved' varieties but they usually have a strong following...

Today's tomatoes are mostly coming out of California (where I was), China, Turkey, and some other places- but either way, they have a long journey on a truck, airplane, or ship before they even think about landing in some of my cooking! Usually they are picked green because otherwise they would spoil en route, so what this means is that the tomato is not ripe (not like Great Grandma Hughes tomato).  In the winter, I usually buy the greenhouse or hot house tomatoes, coming out of Holland, where they have stayed on the vine to ripen a bit longer. They taste better, but still not as great as a summer tomato, and can be a little pricey. If I can't find these, you will find a 5'3'' girl sad and depressed in the produce department!



Here are some pics from the Seed Savers Exchange (www.seedsavers.org). Truly Heartland at its finest!

 

I also included my bruschetta recipe... its best in the summer, with those fresh garden tomatoes! Its especially great for those summer entertaining. I know, I know, they are not in season- but its all the fresh mozzarella's fault. Sorry.

1 loaf French bread or baguette
1 garlic bulb, peeled and separated into cloves
3-4 lbs. fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
Fresh basil, some sliced and also whole leaves
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste
Salt and pepper to season

Slice the bread into pieces and brush olive oil on both sides. Put on a cookie sheet and bake for 375 degrees until bread is toasted. Rub the garlic cloves on the toast. Toss the onions and tomatoes in a medium bowl, combine with olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon this mixture over toasts and garnish with fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. Enjoy!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Purple Ribbon Chicken Soup... (I'm sick)

I don't get sick very often, but when I do.. look out.

I have this cold that will not leave, so I had to break out the chicken noodle soup recipe. Growing up my mom would make this for part of the dinner on Christmas Eve, right before our church program. The 'Purple Ribbon' part of the recipe is because- back in the day, my brother showed chickens once at the Iowa State Fair - I have no idea how, but I know I got roped into helping. I probably was not a huge help, but I am a huge fan of the Iowa State Fair.

Typically, Adam (my husband) loves to make this if I get sick or if its cold out. When I told him today I was doing this today he was a little sad. He lives in Washington D.C. and will be moving out to Iowa in the Spring.

4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
4-6 celery stalks, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole chicken, chopped into smaller pieces
3 quarts chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
About 3 cups of egg noodles (we usually did homemade noodles)
Flat leaf parsley, chopped 
Salt and pepper to season (and you could be in trouble if you are like me today, and can barely breathe!)

Season and saute the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil, until soft. Then add broth, butter, chicken, and egg noodles. Cook for at least 20-30 minutes and enjoy!

Proud of my roots

I'm a Midwestern through and through, or that is what I have been told. I've been to a lot of places (France, Austria, Hungary, California, Washington D.C. and others) which have really helped me cling to and appreciate my roots. Here's my story about how this came to be...

I grew up in a small town in Northwest Iowa on a family farm, that has been our family for over a hundred years. We raised cattle and later on, grains. I have to admit I was/ am a little clueless when it comes to these but my interest was the vegetable and flower gardens. After watching Julia Child when I was young, I put these veggies to work and fell in love with cooking!

I started gardening when I was about five, with my great grandma, grandma, and mom. Great Grandma Hughes was known for her gorgeous gladiolus, softball sized onions, and mammoth dill. I remember picking the dill, treating it as a bride's bouquet, and then watching as she would make the best canned pickles anyone had ever tasted! Each year I would learn more and more, and eventually studied horticulture at the state university. Before that, and during the summers I would grow vegetables and flowers for the local markets, which would help pay the tuition.

After college, I went on to become an assistant manager at a garden center in Des Moines, and has to admit that I didn't exactly know what I wanted or where I wanted to end up. This was tough for me especially, because ever since I was young, I had goals and knew what I wanted out of life. I headed to California, and worked for a huge plant wholesaler- selling mainly into the Midwest from my cubicle. After hearing about their Midwestern lives (and rhubarb, canned goodies and the like), I realized I longed for that again. After some time there, and getting engaged to a long distance boyfriend- I headed to Washington D.C. (still not the Midwest). This past December, I landed a sales job- smack dab in the middle of the heartland- IOWA, and this past July, picked up Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri! 

I'm back in the state, and have taken my interests to heart (again)- cooking, gardening, and homekeeping and want to share the best experiences, ideas, and recipes- that help make this region stand out! Stay tuned...

Jessica