Everyone has their favorite chili recipe! And, man, do we love a good chili in my house when it’s cold outside! I have made many different ones over the years to see how I could come up with a quick, easy recipe for when things are busy during the week. I have a bit of a struggle because my so doesn’t like spice, I like medium spice, and my husband wants all the spice in the world. The recipe I am going to share here has become a favorite because I keep it mild for Ronan, while Dave and I use dried habaneros we grew last summer to spice things up. Fritos are a must for this recipe!

Ingredients:

1lb ground sirloin, 1lb ground pork, 1 large sweet onion – diced, 1 can of green chilis, 2 large cans of diced tomatoes, 1 can of baby butter beans – drained, 2 cans of mild chili beans, 1 can of sweet corn, 1 packet of ranch dressing powder, 1 tbsp of cumin, 1 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tbsp of chili powder, 1 tbsp of salted butter, salt and pepper to taste, small tub of sour cream, bag of shredded Colby jack cheese, and bag of Fritos

In a medium chili pot, mix all canned goods on medium heat. Mix in packet of ranch and stir occasionally.

Next, you’ll want to use a large skillet to brown the sweet onion in butter on medium heat. Once done add the ground sirloin and the ground pork and cook thoroughly. Mix meat mixture into the chili pot. Add all spices and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Once the pot of chili is ready, I layer shredded cheese on the bottom of the bowl, top it with chili, and finish it off with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of more shredded cheese, and crumbled Fritos. Enjoy!!!

If you are looking for a warm welcome, great food and drinks, and a hip vibe for your next outing, then look no further than The Stilt House Gastro Bar in downtown Cedarburg! The owners take a lot of pride in their restaurant and it shows as soon as you walk through the front door. Be sure to ask about the history of the building as you place your order. It’s a cheeky tale that will for sure put a smile on your face.

Since it was a blustery day, the first thing I ordered was their infamous Bloody Mary to warm me up! It is more like a meal than a drink and just what I needed after driving through record breaking 7 inches of snow to get here.

The Stilt House prides itself on their homemade cooking and desserts! You will for sure find something that tempts your palate on their menu. My friend, Rebecca, and I started off quite gluttonous by choosing the Bruschetta and the Giant Soft Pretzel which comes with the most heavenly jalapeño beer cheese and whole grain mustard.

Since we were well on our way to full, Rebecca and I chose to go lite on our main course. She ordered the Carnitas Pork Mini Street Tacos which were bursting with pico de gallo and salsa verde.

I went with my old standby – the absolutely delicious Grilled Romaine Salad with Chicken. The homemade ranch dressing, bacon, and large shaved pieces of fresh Parmesan makes it!

The Stilt House remains a favorite because they pay attention to detail. They change up their menu periodically throughout the year and always have a special to offer. I’m still trying to work of them to bring back the most amazing thing they ever offered – the fried goat cheese with mango salsa! Please jump on this band wagon because if enough of us ask maybe they’ll surprise us! 😁

Like a lot of people, I am a freak for great sushi! I am a purist and geek out for the ultra fresh, melt in your mouth traditional cuts of fish. My nemesis is that big ole bottle of Sriracha! It has no place on fresh fish! I literally shudder when I see spicy mayo the color of mashed sweet potatoes slathered onto rolls! Sadly, Sriracha has a strong presence at many sushi restaurants. I get it – to each their own. Right?

I’ll move on before I lose you completely… 😁

I learned my deep love of traditional sushi from a great family friend, Fujiko, who owned the best Japanese sushi restaurant in the Milwaukee area – Izumi’s. She focused on a fresh, traditional Japanese experience. My family had been going to Izumi’s since it was a tiny hole in the wall decades ago. They even built Izumi’s last known location on N. Prospect Street in Milwaukee. Sadly and without much notice, Fujiko closed her doors permanently a couple of years ago and returned to Japan.

Needless to say, it has been a little rough finding a new sushi home. We have scoured the area and have come to realize that we will never find what we had at Izumi’s. Instead, what I have found is that sushi restaurants are rarely owned and run by Japanese chefs, so you are lucky if you have one close to you. We were definitely lucky!

My love for sushi runs deep as I swear it does something great for my soul. I have been forced to open my mind to this relatively new idea of contemporary sushi or Asian fusion where the owners and chefs come from Korea, China, America, Mexico… And sadly, they LOVE Sriracha! They still have fresh sushi, it is just prepared differently and not in the traditional Japanese way I was accustomed to.

Since stepping out of my shell, I have discovered a few contemporary sushi restaurants that have appealed to my liking (I still stay away from the Sriracha)! One restaurant is in the trendy Third Ward of Milwaukee called Kanpai, my absolute favorite is in the Fulton Market District of Chicago called Momotaro, and the one I will highlight here is Screaming Tuna at the new Public Market in Mequon, WI.

Screaming Tuna gives me the fix I need! I love the fact that it is pretty close to home too! Although it is a limited menu at their second location (their main location is in Milwaukee) which is also affectionately referred to as Lil’ Tuna in Mequon, there is still a nice selection to choose from. Tonight, Ronan and I feasted on several items from their menu and even have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. We chose the traditional edamame with sea salt, the crab chipotle wontons, and fresh spring rolls as our starters. For our main course, I chose the tuna, avocado, and cucumber handroll (special order) while Ronan selected the shrimp tempura roll with cream cheese. All was super fresh and delicious! I seriously think I might be getting a hang of this contemporary sushi thing!

The Sushi Bar at Screaming Tuna, Mequon (screamingtuna.com)

Traditional Edamame with Sea Salt

Crab Chipotle Wontons

Fresh Spring Rolls with Kalbi Marinated Beef

Handroll with Tuna, Cucumber, and Avocado; Shrimp Tempura Roll with Cream Cheese

And our empty plate which Ronan decorated into a smiley face for Halloween!

I know you could have lived without the last picture, but I had to because I shared a good laugh with my teenager over something! 😁

Anyway, I will always miss the traditional flavors of Izumi’s, but I had to expand my horizons or be without my weekly sushi. That just ain’t happening! I recommend you try out Screaming Tuna at either of their locations! Their fish is always fresh and their style mixes the old and the new!

P.S. I will be posting about Kanpai and Momotaro soon so check back!

This is a true farm to table recipe created by my husband, Dave. He made this savory dish for breakfast this past weekend!

First, you want to crack 10 whole eggs. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of milk. You can add a dash of salt and pepper to your liking. Set this mixture aside until the end.

Next, you will cube 6 slices of bread (crusts off) into a greased 9×13 baking dish. You will also spread out thin pads of salted butter. 4-5 pads will do.

After cooking your ground sausage, add that to the bread and butter mixture. We used spicy wild boar that was caught and made into sausage by Dave and his friend, Rich. I will be sure to blog the sausage making experience next time they make it. Sprinkle 2 cups of shredded Colby jack cheese over the top.

We had red peppers to use up, so we diced one up along with chives and added those on top of the cheese.

For your final step, you will pour the whisked eggs over the top of your meat mixture, add a bit more cheesy goodness on top, and bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Let it rest for 5 minutes prior to serving. Enjoy!

Spicy Wild Boar Recipe:

10 whole eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk, salt and pepper to liking, 6 slices of white bread (no crusts), 1 diced red pepper, 1/4 cup of diced chives, 3 cups of shredded colby jack cheese, 1/4 stick of butter (sliced into thin pads), 1 pound of ground spicy wild boar sausage, sprinkle a layer of cheese on top

Bake at 350 degrees in a greased 9×13 pan for 1 hour. Let rest for 5 minutes.

For those who love farm to table cooking, see below for the picture of the wild boar used in this recipe.

925 E Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI

Bartolottas.com

Somebody pinch me, please!!! If you are a food lover like I am, you know that we are in the most wonderful season of all – White Truffle Season! Thank you Alba, Italy! 😁

After ordering a beautiful glass of Moscato (please don’t judge me too harshly, I was joining my 94 year old Italian grandmother), our wonderful waiter informed us that the chef set aside a few white truffles since they knew we were coming in to celebrate my birthday (my parents are regulars here). Our first culinary experience of the night was finely shaved white truffles over a perfectly creamy risotto. Heaven opened up its pearly gates for this one! My 13 year old son, Ronan, claimed he could eat this alone for every single meal for the rest of his life! Ha! Not enough room in my budget for such a thing!

What follows the most heavenly risotto known to man? I was struggling, to say the least! However, I knew I was in good hands. I chose to order from the 3 course Bacchus Signature Meal, located on the left hand side of the menu below.

My first course selection was the Lobster Tagliatelle! I have had it before and it is always delightful, however in hindsight I should have gone with a less richly flavored selection since my mouth was still bursting with the wonderfully intense flavor of white truffles. Rookie mistake, I know!

After tasting Ronan’s amazingly delicious Parsnip and Leek Soup, I knew that was the taste that should have followed the white truffle risotto. We have raised the boy well!

The rest of the family chose equally amazing dishes. See below for their selections…

On to the main course, my friends! Now that we were thoroughly entranced by great wine and food, we still had our main course to contend with. Someone please come up with a way that we can add another stomach to our bodies… 😁

Can I just say how blessed and thankful we were feeling to have this amazing experience together?!? Throughout the evening, our waiters were the absolute best! They were extremely attentive and professional! The little touches, such as having a sweet birthday card at my place setting, go a long way!

Sadly, all great meals eventually come to an end…

I highly recommend you check this fantastic restaurant out! There are many Bartolotta restaurants in the Milwaukee area and we have been to all of them. They know how to do it perfectly and even the most discerning of guests will agree. Bacchus remains at the top of my list for obvious reasons!

Reservations are a must!

After a completely wonderful morning of touring the Milwaukee Art Museum located along the lake in downtown, my mom and I strolled along the promenade to my Birthday lunch at one of our favorite restaurants the Harbor House.

Discovery World has a ton of hands on exhibits for any age group. There is a massive Science and Technology area, huge Lake Michigan and Salt Water Aquariums, the Denis Sullivan ship exploration…

Now back to our AMAZING lunch at the Harbor House, a Bartolotta Restaurant…

For years, our family has been dining at the Harbor House seafood restaurant in Milwaukee! We have celebrated all kinds of milestones here – anniversaries, birthdays, just-becauses… 😁

Yesterday, my mom and Auntie Tayla spoiled me with a fabulous meal! We started off in the lap of luxury with a bottle of Moët and Chandon Imperial champagne and caviar!

Next, we ordered our main course! I had to have a slightly lighter meal since I knew in just a few short hours we would head to Bacchus (another high end Bartolotta Restaurant) with the rest of my family. So, I went with my favorite – the Chicken Caesar Salad! The chicken was done to perfection with an emphasis on MOIST. Of course, I had to have their homemade anchovy dressing and croutons to boot.

Auntie Tayla chose the Grilled Salmon with mash potatoes and asparagus which looked and tasted absolutely divine!

My mom was also saving herself for dinner and ordered the Mesclun Greens with a sweet herb vinaigrette on the side…

Since she’s a Shrimp-aholic (you actually might be able to find that diagnosis in a medical journal), she had to also have the Classic Shrimp Cocktail…

We finished our wonderful meal, with a complimentary birthday surprise – thanks to our great waiter!

Like always, we rolled out of the Harbor House absolutely full and thankful for our time together! When you visit, please be sure to make a reservation during the weekends and if you are going for prime lunch time. The tables fill up fast, but you might be able to sneak a high-top table in the bar area. Your palate will endlessly thank you for the delightful culinary experience!

More tomorrow…I promise! 😁

All I can say tonight is… Milwaukee Art Museum, Harbor House, caviar, bubbly, Bacchus, white truffle risotto, filet medallions…

As promised, historic Cedarburg, WI is my focus for the month of October! I will be covering many of my favorite places. My first post is a shout out to my cousin Liane’s employer Boulangerie Du Monde located downtown on Washington Avenue. Liane bakes the most wonderful breads and treats!

In fact for dessert tonight, Ronan and I feasted on the yummiest carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting and perfectly crisp butter croissants. Not only do I recommend their assortment of fresh breads and pastries, but the double chocolate chip cookies are to die for as well. Do yourself a favor and just throw that scale away! Every bite at this French bakery is worth the added weight!

I know a lot of you will be traveling this holiday season or even over Spring Break so if you are ever in the Cocoa Beach, Florida area, please check out Florida Seafood Bar and Grill! They are located on your right hand side just off of the 520 causeway as you cross the Banana River bridge (heading east towards the beach). The infamous Ron Jon Surf Shop is just down the street, right before you get to the beach!

The vibrant tiki bar interior at Florida Seafood is decorated with a plethora of salt water aquariums and all kinds of beachy fun – outdoor seating is available. The food and drinks are awesome and well priced for the amount you receive. Expect large portions and to have leftovers. The menu is extensive! You will find anything from raw oysters to seafood platters to surf and turf to… I could go on and on!

Please try some of our favorites such as the mouth watering ceviche with their homemade chips. My dad lives for their shrimp platter which comes with all kinds of sides (you can choose from an array of shrimp sizes). If you love Coconut Shrimp like I do – it is a must as well! As seen below, it comes in a beautiful halved pineapple. You won’t be disappointed!

Hi all! Thank you so much for your support and for sharing my site with your friends and family! I will be posting daily, so please check in as often as you can. I will also share pictures of fun trips over the years, recommendations for restaurants, travel destinations – near and far, favorite recipes… Each month, I plan to take a closer look at some of my favorite towns in Southeastern Wisconsin. I’ll explore historic Cedarburg, WI first! Please let me know of any places you would like for me to check out too! Much love!