Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  Though I won't be riding horses on the beach this year {best. halloween. ever.}, I do plan on making this one memorable with a big pot of witches stew, some pumpkin treats, a yummy glass of red wine, and a not-too-scary movie while we hopefully hand out lots of candy to the neighborhood kiddos.  I love not having pressure to dress up and have a big party, and instead get cozy and enjoy the beautiful and crisp fall night.

Be safe out there!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

pic found on pinterest, and also the message on my cutest new dish towel

Ragtime & The Fairmont

How was your weekend?  I woke up to this beautiful foggy view on Saturday morning {more about my super quick trip north later}, then quickly got ready and headed back to Seattle for a fun weekend with Mom.  We started out going to see Ragtime at the 5th, then headed over to The Fairmont where we enjoyed a few glasses of wine and totchos {!} for happy hour at The Terrace bar.  I love the feel of The Fairmont - so grand and beautiful - and as we sat there we spied on two separate weddings taking place at the hotel.  Their happy hour is great, and I can't wait to head back for the holidays when it's all decked out :)

 fancy totchos {nachos made with housemade tots}

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Fall Sunrise

I think one of my most favorite things about fall {that I forget about every year until it happens} is that I get to see some of the most amazing sunrises right outside my front door.  I snapped the above pic earlier this week as I was leaving my house for work, and this picture does not do it justice.  The entire sky was a bright shade of pink and orange, which gave everything on the ground {already full of fall colors} a pinkish glow.  It literally stopped me in my tracks.  Hey - if I have to get up early enough to watch the sunrise, it better be a beauty :)

Happy Friday!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Wanderlust

I've been having some major wanderlust lately.  It's been almost exactly a year {this weekend!} that I headed off on my Costa Rican adventure, and I'm just itching to get out there again and see the world.  I'm open to so many possibilities {my travel bucket list is HUGE}, but here are a few places that have caught my eye recently.  Anyone want to take a trip? :)

 bike thru Copenhagen

 road trip thru Ireland

 eat in Nashville

 fiesta in Sayulita

soak up paradise in Siargao Island, Philippines

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Four

Today I'm celebrating 4 years with my little yellow cottage!  I can't believe it's been 4 years since I was handed the keys to this little place and Erika, Joe, and I popped the bubbly in that empty living room :)  We've gone through some ups and downs {including critters that decided to take up residence in the attic over the summer} but through it all, I love this little place so much and don't regret making that huge decision for a second {especially in today's crazy Seattle real estate market - sheesh!}.  I have a few projects I'd like to accomplish before we celebrate the big half decade, including some interior and exterior painting, new kitchen floors, and maybe even a new couch, but for now I'm happy cozying up in front of the tv on a chilly evening with a home cooked meal listening to the creaks and squeaks of the cottage settling in for the night.  I'm so happy in my tiny corner of the world, and can't wait to celebrate many more years in my home sweet home :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Crockpot Butter Chicken

This weekend felt cold and wet, and I knew I wanted to make something in the crockpot to warm me up.  While perusing through Pinterest, I stumbled upon the Half Baked Harvest website, and after pouring over her beautiful pictures and delicious looking recipes, I landed on Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken.  I haven't had much experience cooking Indian-inspired food, but the fact that I could throw it all in the crockpot {after getting all the right spices} sounded appealing and easy.  I mixed up everything on Sunday morning then let it cook throughout the Seahawk game, all the while making my house smell delicious.  The end product, served over white rice and with a piece of naan, was absolutely delicious - way better than the Trader Joe's frozen version I tend to pick up for quick dinners :)  I'll definitely be keeping this one in rotation throughout the winter for an easy dish to warm me up and I'd highly recommend you do the same :)

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken

Ingredients
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size chunks
1/2 onion finely minced
2 Tblsp butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tblsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1-2 tsp Thai red curry paste
2 Tblsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1 (14oz) can coconut milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup half and half OR heavy cream
Cooked white rice, for serving
Naan, for serving

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, mix together coconut milk, greek yogurt, and cream.  Stir in tomato paste, garlic, ginger, curry powder, red curry paste, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt.  Mix well.
2. Spray inside of crockpot with cooking spray.  Sprinkle onion over bottom of crockpot.  Add chicken, then pour coconut milk mixture over chicken so it is completely covered.  Add butter and place lid on crockpot.
3. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
4. When ready, season with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve over white rice with a side of naan.

Serves 4

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Falling for Fall

How was your weekend?  Friday and Saturday were super stormy, but I didn't let that deter me from brunch with some of my besties, a rainy stroll around UVillage, and dinner at one of my most favorite restaurants in the city.  By Sunday, the rains had cleared and it was a beautifully sunny fall day filled with raking leaves, cheering on the Hawks to victory, and a yummy and warm crockpot dinner.  And now, it's back to work!  Hope you had a great weekend!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy Fall Weekend

What are you up to this weekend?  With all the rain coming down, I'm excited to have a cozy weekend at home catching up on shows, brunchin' with friends, snuggling with the pup, and cheering on the Hawks.  I found this Diana pic while going thru an old box and it reminded me of the fall weather that I love - and that I need to take that camera out for a spin ASAP!  Now, if we could just find some sunny weather to cooperate :)

Happy Friday!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Fall Walk

The other night I volunteered to take Nina out for her evening walk, just the two of us.  It was before this crazy storm had started, so you could see the clouds rolling in and the beautiful pink sunset over Elliott Bay.  I love walking this girl around Queen Anne and daydreaming about the beautiful houses we stroll past, and on an evening like that with the leaves turning bright colors and the brisk evening air, there's no place I'd rather be :)  Now, go away rain.....

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Pumpkin Patch

Saturday morning we headed out on a Fall Adventure to find Christian his very first pumpkin.  We put on our plaid and our boots, grabbed a Pumpkin Spice Latte, and headed over to the Eastside for a scenic fall drive and to find a pumpkin patch not completely overrun by fellow fall-seekers.  After driving around for hours taking in the small towns and changing leaves, we ended up at Craven Farms to find the best pumpkins we could.  The lines were long for treats, so we spent most of our time stomping through the field in search of the perfect little pumpkins {that we could carry back with us, as we neglected to bring a wheelbarrow out - whoops!}.  Since this was his first pumpkin patch experience, Christian opted for a pretty tiny pumpkin to put on his front porch, while I went with a few medium sized ones to really round out my fall decor.  We went home that evening feeling ready for fall and with great memories from the day :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup

Friday night felt like a night to stay in and make soup {ok, so most fall nights feel like that} so after perusing many different recipes, we decided to try our hand at our own version of Butternut Squash soup.  We combined several different recipes to come up with the best soup possible, and I must say that while I wasn't quite sure what we were throwing in there, it ended up being amazingly delicious.  When I commented on how yummy yet healthy it was, I was reminded that there was a lot of bacon in it.  Oh yeah - no wonder it tasted so good!  But hey, you gotta have a little indulgence every now and then, right? :)  This recipe was thrown together quickly because we were getting hungry, but feel free to roast the veggies for about 30 minutes instead of cooking on the stovetop to give even more flavor. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup

Ingredients
1 butternut squash {about 3 pounds}, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 onion, diced
4 slices bacon, diced
2 Tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Honeycrisp apple, peeled and diced
Salt & Pepper
dried thyme
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Creme Fraiche for topping {if desired}

Instructions
1. Place diced bacon in large dutch oven and cook over medium heat until almost cooked through.
2. Add butternut squash, olive oil, onion, and garlic, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
3. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add apple and simmer 5-10 minutes until apples are soft.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend soup mixture until desired consistency {we left it a little bumpy}.
5. Top with a few dollops of creme fraiche.  

Serves 6

 my sous chef begging for scraps

served with delicious wine from wine club and crusty bread :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Fall Weekend

How was your weekend?  We had some perfect fall days here in Seattle, and they were filled with homemade soup, long crisp walks around Queen Anne, a pumpkin patch trip, and lots of lounging around in the sunshine.  I love these sunny fall days where the air is crisp and the leaves are turning beautiful bright colors - and since the rains are coming, I'm going to savor every memory from this past weekend that I can!  Hope you had a great one too!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Palm Springs {Part III}

Saturday night, after a full day of lounging in the pool, we headed out to Rooster and the Pig, a restaurant we had found online that said it was a must try in Palm Springs.  The strip mall space served shareable Vietnamese dishes, and though we started out ordering individually, everything looked so good that we all had to give everything a try.  Man, was this place worth it!  We were lucky to not have to wait for a table when we got there, but by the time we left the parking lot was full of patrons waiting to get inside.  If you're in the desert, you must give this place a try.  That night we headed back to the house where we all put on jammies and Melanie and I convinced everyone to watch 2 episodes of "Law & Order: The Menendez Brothers" {we love true crime!}.  Sunday morning we woke up and sent Michelle back home to the Bay Area, then the 5 remaining headed to Farm in downtown Palm Springs, a cute French restaurant Erika had found for brunch.  Our food was again delish, but after brunch we had to say goodbye to Melanie and Susannah as they made their way back to LA.  Our awesome Airbnb hostess let us stay in the house all day long, so Erika, Merith, and I headed back to cheer on our Seahawks to a victory over the LA Rams before I had to head to the airport for my flight home.  It was such a fun and relaxing weekend with girlfriends - just what we all needed to refresh and catch up.  Hopefully it's not too long before I see these lovely ladies again!

after dinner snuggles with merith

me, melanie {my tv soulmate}, and lisa vanderpump's star on the walk of fame

cheering on our hawks!

the most beautiful sunset over mt. st. helens on my flight made going home just a little bit easier

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Palm Springs {Part II}

Saturday we had two goals - brunch and pool time.  After sleeping in and waking up to coffee by the pool, we headed out to Cheeky's for brunch.  The wait was a little intense - an hour and a half in 100 degree heat - but we survived by taking advantage of the coffee and bloody mary's next door at Birba.  Brunch was definitely worth the wait, and my bacon flight and huevos rancheros hit the spot perfectly.  I'm now making Cheeky's a mandatory stop every time I'm in the desert :)  After brunch, we headed back to the house where we took full advantage of the owner's flamingo floaties.  I spent hours in that floatie talking with the girls, drinking rosé, and basking in the sun.  It was my favorite day of the trip because we did exactly what we had intended - relax :)

waiting for our table

the definition of relaxation - there was even a mini flamingo for my wine!

xoxo,
stephanie marie