From Summer

July 20, 2015

Plan a Family Getaway to Door County, WI + Bridgeport Resort Review

Even though it’s already July, it’s not too late to plan a summer getaway! Our family just spent a beautiful weekend in Door County, WI. I love visiting Door County in the summer, but it’s even better in the fall, so put this on your travel list. There are so many fun activities for families, from hiking to fishing to just exploring the little towns, everyone will find something.

This year we stopped at Bay Beach in Green Bay, WI on the way up, and it is a must-see if you have young kids! It is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and it feels like you’re stepping back in time. Most rides cost 1-3 tickets, and tickets are a quarter! It’s located right on the water, and there’s even an entire section designed for toddlers and preschool-age.

And while I didn’t love that Charlotte took to the machine gun so quickly, it was an afternoon well spent

We were all exhausted after our fun afternoon, so we headed up to our destination and checked-in at our favorite hotel. We have had the best experiences at the Bridgeport Resort in Sturgeon Bay, WI so I wanted to share it with you. The grounds are beautiful, the rooms are spacious and it’s reasonably priced. Here are some of my favorite features…

Great location

My favorite part of the Bridgeport has to be the location. It’s right on the water and just a quick walk over the bridge to downtown Sturgeon Bay. We arrived on a Friday night, and on Saturday morning went for a run along the water, stopped at Kick Coffee and walked around the farmer’s market.

Affordable suites

Even at the peak of tourist season, the rooms are very affordable. We were able to stay in a two-bedroom suite, which sounds ridiculous for a family of 3, but those of you with toddlers who are not great sleepers understand!

Family-friendly

The hotel truly seems to cater to every age. The hotel is very child-friendly with the spacious rooms and great indoor pool.

Pools

I love having access to both the indoor and outdoor pool. The indoor pool has a little splash pad with water slide for the young kids, and the outdoor pool has plenty of shaded areas.

If you’ve never been to Door County, you have to try it! Here are some of my favorite spots.

This is not a sponsored post. In exchange for the review, the Bridgeport generously discounted our stay. As always, all opinions are my own.

Looking for more travel ideas? Here are our favorites!

Healthy Travel Snacks 1

Healthy Travel Snacks 2

Door County, WI

Naples, FL

Kohler Resort & Spa, Kohler, WI

July 3, 2015

Strawberry Quinoa Salad + TV appearance

Juicy strawberries, sweet citrus dressing and tangy goat cheese come together beautifully in this light & easy summer side dish.

It’s great at any temperature and is easy to whip up. We brought this to a friend’s BBQ last weekend and it was a hit. The subtly sweet salad balanced out the savory burgers and hotdogs. We were seeing friends who we haven’t seen in a while, so I needed to bring my A game and this salad delivers!

I used strawberries that we’d bought at the farmer’s market that morning. I thought they were delicious… until we went strawberry picking today. Ahhhh-mazing! They actually tasted like warm strawberry jam. I’m never going back to store-bought. Definitely use fresh for this salad if you’re able. Happy 4th!

Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese

2015-07-03 12:39:53

Serves 12

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

25 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

25 min

Ingredients

3 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
½ tsp. salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. light agave nectar
¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 quart strawberries chopped into ½ inch pieces
5 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Combine quinoa, broth, water and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, agave nectar and mint leaves.
Pour the dressing over the cooked quinoa and add the strawberries and goat cheese. Toss until all ingredients are coated.

By Carrie Madormo

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

And speaking of refreshing summer treats, I had the chance to appear on our local morning show, The Morning Blend to help make ice cream sandwiches! We shared some tips and tricks for making the perfect ice cream sandwich. Anything we missed? Please share!

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June 29, 2015

Your Summer Party & Travel Guide

Happy Summer! Blue skies, farmers markets and swimming pools… it’s hard not to love this time of year. The only problem? It FLIES by! This week is July already! So don’t waste another moment of summer. Throw that backyard barbecue, plan that weekend getaway, go to that outdoor concert. Whatever you’ve been looking forward to, get our your calendar and plan it. Otherwise it will be over. You know Target is getting out their back-to-school gear as you read this…

Summer Party

This week I’m hosting a virtual barbecue on Facebook. Stop by for free recipes, 4th of July ideas and giveaways! All purchases will come with a FREE personalized party invitation! Shop the store at https://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/cmadormo.

Summer Vacation

Picture this: you’re relaxing at the beach listening to the sounds of waves crashing and your children giggling. You take a deep breath, smell the salty air and sink a little deeper into your chair. You feel happy, rejuvenated and grateful for such an incredible trip. You finally took the time to truly enjoy the planning process and let go of stress.

Far too often vacations can be a source of anxiety. In fact, a recent Huffington Post poll revealed that 1-in-4 full-time employees choose to forgo a vacation altogether because it’s just too stressful to take time off from work.

Fortunately, with just a few simple tricks, it is possible to have a blissful vacation free from stress, sibling bickering and constant fast food. Here are 4 tips for every family vacation. From healthy snacks to car games, we’ve got you covered for your next summer getaway!

Green and Gold Kale Salad

Confession: Had the Packers not won on Sunday, this salad would have been called the “Honey Avocado Kale Salad.” But because I’m a sucker for a good theme party (or recipe) and I love lightening-up party food, it is now the Green and Gold Kale Salad. This salad is so incredibly easy to whip up and a nice alternative to typical game day food. It can also be customized to any team you’re cheering for – just be creative with the toppings to achieve your team’s colors (bell peppers, carrots, dried fruit, nuts, etc.)

I really had to do some soul searching before deciding to go this route, because growing up I was taught that Packer fans are insane and put the Packers above all else, including family members and laws of common decency. I remember my dad trying to explain the degree to which Packer fans’ obsession goes, telling me they even display pictures of Lambeau in their living rooms! Now as he explained this, I took a quick scan of my parents’ house and counted not 1, not 2, but 4 pictures of Wrigley Field adorning their walls, but that just feels different. Even as I photographed this dish every Chicago-born bone in my body was screaming at me not to do it, but it’s so delicious that I threw my values out the window and loaded up on the green and yellow bell peppers.

I figure now that we own a home in Wisconsin, it’s time to at least tolerate the green and gold obsession. So instead of an olive branch, I’m offering a kale leaf tossed with creamy avocado, lemon and honey dressing.

The dressing can be made with a blender, food processor or immersion blender and will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. It gets its creamy texture from the avocado and is completely dairy-free. Because kale leaves can be so tough, massage the dressing into the salad at least a day or so before you plan to serve it to help soften the leaves a little. For more quick green salads, check out Cooking Light.

So if you’re planning a party on Sunday just sit back and R-E-L-A-X… the salad’s already made! Enjoy!

Green and Gold Kale Salad

2015-01-15 19:43:44

Yields 4

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Prep Time

10 min

Total Time

10 min

Prep Time

10 min

Total Time

10 min

For the dressing

1 avocado
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

For the salad

4 cups finely shredded Lacinato kale (loosely packed)
4 cups finely shredded Brussels sprouts (loosely packed)
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped

For the dressing

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

For the salad

In a large bowl, toss together the shredded kale, shredded Brussels sprouts and chopped bell peppers. Add as much dressing as desired, tossing to combine. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Fitness Magazine

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

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January 11, 2015

Apple Mojito Chicken

We shouldn’t have to live like this this. We’re not meant to shovel at five o’clock in the morning or drive to work in subzero temperatures. I know this is to be expected in Wisconsin in the middle of January, but I can’t help but think it’s not fair. We should be sitting at the pool reading a magazine, sipping a margarita and enjoying Apple Mojito Chicken.

I developed this 30-minute meal for Milwaukee Metro Parent’s new recipe column, Cooking with Carrie . Eeeee! That’s me! I was beyond excited / slightly horrified when I saw the logo…

This column will feature easy, healthy, family-friendly dishes every Monday. And Apple Mojito Chicken definitely fits that description. A simple chicken and rice dish is elevated with the fresh flavors of mint and lime then simmered with apple. This dish is so good it will almost make you forget we have a few months of snow and cold left… Enjoy!

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August 14, 2014

Strawberry Lemonade Sandwich Cookies

There are so many things I love about summers in Milwaukee… the festivals, free outdoor music almost every night, and seeing everyone outside soaking up as much sunshine as possible. However, all these wonderful things can be a little distracting when you’re, say, trying to keep up a growing food blog… I have to admit, I was starting to feel a little burnt out trying to keep up with the constant posting, tweeting, instagraming, FBing, etc. Any time I was out doing something fun, I’d find myself thinking, “I should Instagram this” instead of just enjoying it! So I took a much needed few weeks off and am now back and feeling refreshed!

I’m excited to share this recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Sandwich Cookies! They are the quintessential summer dessert and are a cinch to throw together. Fresh strawberries and whole grain oats combine with light lemon frosting to create a sweet and satisfying summer snack!

This month the Recipe Redux hosted an “Oats & Dairy: A Powerful Combination” contest with The National Dairy Council and the Quaker Oats Center For Excellence. I immediately started thinking about how I could create a dessert with these, and sandwich cookies seemed like the perfect fit. I often use oats and nonfat dairy in my recipes, so these cookies were easy to come up with and add a little fiber and protein to your summer barbecue dessert.

Unfortunately, after taking a closer look at the contest’s fine print, I realized that this recipe didn’t meet the required amount of dairy per serving to qualify for the contest, so it’s not an official entry. But let’s be honest… with these delicious and light little sandwich cookies, we’ll all feel like winners Happy Summer!

Strawberry Lemonade Sandwich Cookies

2014-07-20 13:14:22

Yields 15

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Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup diced strawberries
1 cup old fashioned oats

For the Filling

2 Tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature
4oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp. lemon zest
2-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Combine butter, applesauce, and sugars in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, then beat to combine.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing well between each batch. Add diced strawberries and mix to combine, then add oatmeal and mix to combine. Cover bowl then place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or until dough holds it’s shape when scooped.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop 1 heaping tablespoon dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets then bake for 10 minutes, or until set on top. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the filling

While the cookies are cooling, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scoop into a ziploc bag, cut a small hole at the corner, then pipe onto half the cooled cookies and top with the other half. Enjoy!

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

For more recipe redux contests, check out these recipes below…

Mushroom Meatball Hoagies with Eggplant Fries

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

July 21, 2014

Chocolate Chip Whiskey (Banana) Ice Cream

Oh hi, I thought that might get your attention! This dessert is deliciously sweet and creamy with just a little kick from the whiskey. It takes just seconds to prepare and is an easy single serving dessert or snack. And don’t worry – you’re not drinking alone… you’re enjoying healthy banana ice cream!

I’ve been wanting to experiment with making banana “ice cream” for months now, but figured since I’ve seen it on so many blogs already, I needed to step it up. To create the base, simply peel and slice the bananas, then freeze for at least 1-2 hours. When you blend up the frozen banana pieces, they will come together to form a perfect creamy ice cream. In Milwaukee we have an amazing local ice cream shop, Purple Door, that sells whiskey ice cream. It is absolutely incredible! This past Valentine’s Day Tim arrived home from work with Purple Door Whiskey ice cream in one hand and 2 turtle brownies in the other… *swoon*

This month the Recipe Redux challenged its members to lighten-up a recipe that contains liquor (vodka sauce, bourbon chicken, etc.) Clearly I enjoy adding a splash of booze to my recipes as evidenced here and here. I was amazed at how easily this dish came together, and you will love how the whiskey really masks the banana flavor, so it tastes like real ice cream! I added some dark chocolate chips, but feel free to get creative. Other ideas include: white chocolate chips, a drizzle of caramel or fresh strawberries. Enjoy!

For more Recipe Redux recipes, check these out! And see below for the winner of the Coffee Giveaway!

Mushroom Meatball Hoagies with Eggplant Fries

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Applesauce Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

Chocolate Chip Whiskey (Banana) Ice Cream

2014-07-20 13:17:47

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Ingredients

3 large, ripe bananas
2 tbsp. almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
1 tbsp. whiskey
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Peel and slice the bananas, then freeze until solid, at least 1-2 hours.
Remove the bananas from the freezer and allow to soften for about 10 minutes. This makes them much easier to blend.
Place all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a good quality blender or food processor.
Blend on low until ice cream forms, allowing the blender to "rest" every few seconds.
Once you have a creamy texture, add the chocolate chips and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Scoop into 2 cups and garnish with a few extra chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Notes

Blending frozen bananas can be a lot for a blender. Make sure to cut the banana in small pieces, allow the frozen pieces to soften before blending and take breaks when blending.

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

Thank you to everyone for entering the Bad Ass Coffee Giveaway! The randomly-selected winner is Laura! Laura, please email me at [email protected] with your address and watch for some delish coffee in the mail

An InLinkz Link-up

July 18, 2014

Breakfast Tacos with Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

If you’ve been looking for an easy, healthy, satisfying vegetarian meal, then pull up a chair, pour yourself some breakfast sangria, and prepare yourself for breakfast tacos with sweet potato black bean salad! This meal is hearty enough for dinner, but could easily be served for a laidback weekend brunch as well.

After returning home from a week-long vacation, I was craving something light and healthy (I devoured an obscene amount of peanut butter m&ms last week), but also quick and satisfying. I started with 2 corn tortillas (I’ve tried making a taco with just one, but it usually ends up in my lap) and then added scrambled eggs, a simple 5-ingredient salsa and fresh avocado. The tacos are full of fresh summer flavors, but it’s really the sweet potato salad that makes this dish!

The roasted sweet potatoes and black beans are tossed in a cilantro lime dressing and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. I ended up taking the leftover salad for lunch all week, and it definitely took the edge off going back to work. The cilantro gives the sweet potatoes just a little kick - a perfect way to shake up my favorite side dish!

And speaking of vacation, don’t forget to enter the Badass Coffee Giveaway!! The winner will be announced Monday, 7/21/14. Good luck!

Breakfast Tacos with Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

2014-07-13 18:21:54

Serves 4

Fresh breakfast tacos topped with a simple salsa and served with savory sweet potato black bean salad!

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Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
Half of a red onion chopped, about 1 cup
2 minced cloves of garlic, divided
1 lime
4 tbsp. chopped cilantro, divided
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs + 3 egg whites
1 ripe avocado, cut into strips
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
Corn tortillas

Instructions

Spread the sweet potatoes over a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with hands and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, until tender.
While the sweet potatoes bake, make the salsa. Combine the tomatoes, onion, 1 minced garlic clove and 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro. Squeeze half of the lime juice over the mixture, stir to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare the salad by whisking together the remaining lime juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, cumin and chili powder. Pour in the black beans and cooked sweet potato and toss to coat. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and egg whites together and heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour the eggs into the skillet and heat until cooked through, stirring constantly.
To assemble the tacos layer 2 corn tortillas on a plate and top with eggs, salsa, avocado and any other desired toppings. We used shredded cheddar cheese and plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream).
Serve with the sweet potato black bean salad and enjoy!

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

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July 3, 2014

Almond Butter and Cherry Granola

“Did I turn off the coffee?”

“No… I did.”

“Did you lock up?”

“Yeah.”

“Did we set the timers on the lights?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you close the garage?”

“That’s it. I forgot to close the garage. That’s it.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Well what else could we be forgetting?”

“KEVIN!”

I have to say, I now know just how Kate McCallister felt at that moment. I was sitting in the car talking with Tim about all the fun things we were going to do once we arrived in Door County when it hit me. In my hurry to get out of the house on time, I had forgotten one of my most prized possessions. No, not my 8 year-old son - my delicious homemade granola. I was actually talking about how easy Saturday breakfast was going to be. I had prepped the cinnamon rolls, cut the fruit, and made the granola… wait did I pack the granola… “GRANOLA!”

The bummer about forgetting this granola for our family vacation is that it is SO good! The almond butter and dried cherries give it a sweet and salty flavor with just the right amount of crunch. The upside to forgetting it is that we now have about 5 cups of this little treat all to ourselves. Enjoy!

Almond Butter and Cherry Granola

2014-06-26 12:41:10

Yields 5

A sweet and salty snack perfect for topping vanilla yogurt or a fresh smoothie bowl!

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats
2/3 cups crunchy almond butter, softened
2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sliced almonds
1 (heaping) cup dried cherries
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Microwave the almond butter and coconut oil for about 20 seconds to soften them.
Spray 2 glass baking dishes with olive oil spray and spread the granola evenly over them.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Allow to cool completely before enjoying!

Adapted from Carrots 'N' Cake

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

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June 26, 2014

Easy Summer Appetizers

Summer in the Midwest is fleeting - I mean, it’s almost July, and as I type this it’s 55 degrees out! Back in February when we were in the middle of the polar vortex, I promised myself that as soon as the temps hit 40 and we no longer had snow, I would NOT complain… so I’m choosing to focus on the heat wave that will be coming. And when it does, you won’t want to waste a moment! I’m hoping to host a lot of get-togethers this summer, and I don’t want to spend that time in the kitchen making complicated dishes. That is why I’m bringing you a list of my favorite easy summer appetizers, perfect for your next barbecue! All of these dishes require minimal cooking and not only look tasty, but beautiful as well. Happy Summer!

Links for above:

Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad from The Law Student’s Wife & Katie’s Cucina

Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade Mojitos from Iowa Girl Eats

Ricotta Crostini Party from Honestly Yum

Strawberry Coconut Fruit Dip from Fit Foodie Finds

Another great, easy summer recipe is aioli. Aioli is typically a garlic mayonnaise used for dips and sandwich spreads. I love sitting on the patio at Café Hollander with a cone of frites and one of their many housemade aiolis, so I was excited when Red Gold Tomatoes contacted me about their new line of Aioli Recipes. Basically, any of their cans of diced tomatoes (drained) can be combined with 1/2 cup of mayo to create an easy aioli.

I made the basic aioli using plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo, and it was great with eggplant fries.

This post was not sponsored, but Red Gold provided me with an aioli starter kit. Thanks for reading!