This past weekend was all about the Christmas prep, from putting up the greenery arch above the gate {Dad really upped his game with lots of "exotics" to compliment the cedar boughs} to shopping downtown to decorating the tree inside. I absolutely love getting into the holiday spirit and plan on soaking up as much Christmas as I can in the coming weeks :)
Last night I snuck away for a bit to go meet the newest member of the Bach family, Elliott Theodore. Little Elliott surprised us all by being born a week ago - 2.5 weeks before he was expected! He snuggled up in my arms for an hour or so, not making a peep and just looking at everything being the sweetest little guy. I'm so happy for Maddie & Ash and can't wait to spend evenings cuddling with my newest little buddy and watching him grow. Congrats Bachs - Elliott is perfect and this Auntie Stephie is so excited!
My coworker had made this super simple and delicious cheese ball shaped like a pumpkin for our Halloween potluck, so when tasked with bringing an appetizer to our family's Thanksgiving party, I immediately asked my friend for the recipe. I was surprised with how simple it was to put together the night before, and when I handed over the Dorito covering task to Christian and my mom on Thanksgiving, it turned out absolutely perfect. If you're looking for something simple, cute, and surprisingly delicious for a fall holiday party, look no further than this perfectly themed appy :) Pumpkin Cheese Ball Ingredients 16oz soft cream cheese 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 3 Tblsp minced onion 2 Tblsp salsa 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp minced jalapeno Doritos Stem of 1 bell pepper Instructions 1. Blend cream cheese, cheddar, onion, salsa, cumin, & jalapeno with hand mixer until combined. Scoop into plastic wrap then use wrap to shape into 5 inch round ball. 2. Chill at least 2 hours, or overnight. 3. To serve, roll in crushed Doritos until completely covered, then top with bell pepper stem. Serve with chips or crackers. adapted from the food network xoxo, stephanie marie
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! On Thursday we braved the pouring down rain for a drive up to the valley to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Once in the valley, the rain stopped and the blue skies came out making for a gorgeous afternoon at the Esary's. The food was delicious, and afterwards a few of us went for a walk around the house and stumbled upon the old pickle-ball court, which made for an excellent after-dinner game {that none of us really knew how to play}. After dinner we went back to my parents to hang for a bit before Christian headed home to the dog and I stayed for a night with the folks. It was a great Thanksgiving at home, filled with food, family, and lots of reasons to be thankful :)
I can't believe that tomorrow is already Thanksgiving! This year has flown by, but I love to take a second to be grateful for all the things that make me happy in my life. Through ups and downs, I know I'm a pretty lucky lady to have all these things that make me smile, including my cozy little home, leisurely morning cups of coffee, books, long walks with the dog, football, old fashioned's, Netflix binges, the most wonderful family, rainboots, new babies, this guy, DVR, holding hands, yoga, red wine, inspiring friendships, sleeping in, travel, and snuggles :) What are you thankful for this year? Happy Thanksgiving! xoxo, stephanie marie
Saturday afternoon, bro, Sara & I headed out to Leavenworth to see the Christmas lights and have dinner. We stopped off at Silvara Vineyards right as the sun was setting and quickly cozied up by the fire on the comfy couches with a glass of wine. After Silvara, we kept heading west to Leavenworth where we quickly found parking and meandered around the town checking out the lights and popping into a few little shops before our reservations at Visconti's. We shared a bottle of wine and some amazingly delicious pasta {I definitely cleaned my plate} before rolling ourselves back down the mountain to Wenatchee. Back at home we all sat around on the couch watching The Office reruns and snuggling with Addie dog before dozing off for the night. It was a super fun weekend with the family and I can't wait to head back over the mountains again very soon :)
Thanks Shaun & Sara for a fabulous weekend! xoxo, stephanie marie
How was your weekend? I decided to get out of town and head over to the sunny side of the state for some quality time with the bro and sis-in-law. I drove into Wenatchee right before sunset to the most beautiful pink skies, then stopped off with my bro for a {huge} beer in town while we waited for Sara to get off work. Friday night, she made us the most delicious steak dinner from their Hello Fresh box that I would eat every night if I could. Saturday morning we headed up to Martin Scott Winery where most of Sara's family was hanging out for some wine tasting and bottles by the fire pit outside. It was a perfect sunny day looking out at the valley with a glass of wine - it felt like spring! :) Later, after lunch, the 3 of us headed over to Ashlee's house so I could finally meet the 5 month old triplets. They are the sweetest little babes and though that family for sure has their hands full, you can tell they are having the best time :) It was so fun to snuggle those babies and see their personalities really coming out that I can't wait to get back there asap for more triplet snuggles :)
Last night I got to meet 6 day old Annabelle Kay, the newest addition to the Robinson family. I forget how teeny tiny these little ones are, and to snuggle this sweet, calm baby girl was the absolute best. She looks exactly like Ryley did when he was a baby, and from our chats in between tackling and wrestling, I'm pretty sure he's going to be an amazing big brother to "his baby" :) Stef and Eric - congrats on this perfect little pumpkin - I love her so much already! Welcome to the world, sweet Baby Anna! xoxo, stephanie marie
I have a few special deliveries to make this week and I thought what better to bring than cookies - everyone loves a cookie, right? I had my Dahlia Bakery cookbook out from making my favorite tomato soup the other week and after debating between several different cookies, I decided to try my hand at their Cranberry & Apricot Oatmeal Cookies. Oatmeal cookies are some of my absolute faves, and this version with delicious spices and dried fruits is the perfect chewy treat to snack on at any time of day. They turned out better than a lot of my baking adventures do, and I definitely plan on adding these to my baking regulars - I hope the people I'm bringing them to love them just as much as I do :) Dahlia Bakery Cranberry Apricot Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients 2 cups + 2 Tblsp all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cloves 2 1/2 cups rolled oats {like Quaker old fashioned} 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup diced dried apricots 1/3 cup golden raisins 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1 cup + 2 Tblsp unsalted butter, softened {room temp} 1 1/4 cups packed moist brown sugar {from a bag, not a box} 3/4 cup + 2 Tblsp granulated sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375. 2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and spices. Stir in oats and salt. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, combine apricots, raisins, and cranberries. Set aside. 4. In bowl of electric mixer {or using a hand mixer}, combine butter, both sugars, and vanilla extract, creaming on medium speed until very pale and fluffy. Scrape down bowl. 5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each egg and scraping down bowl as needed. 6. On low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions and mix until just combined. Using a spatula or spoon, add dried fruits and mix until just combined. 7. Scoop cookies in about 1/4 cup scoops, placing evenly on parchment lined cookie sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Using your hand, pat down each cookie mound of dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. 8. Place pan in oven and bake until cookies are golden brown around the edges and still slightly pale in the middle, about 14 minutes. 9. Remove baking sheet from oven and allow to cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes before using metal spatula to remove cookies from pan. Makes about 3 dozen cookies adapted from the dahlia bakery cookbook
Sunday night I was looking for something warm and yummy to fix for dinner, and while checking out my Pinterest "Yum" board, I stumbled upon this recipe for Thai Red Curry with Veggies that I had pinned so I could use up some of the Thai red curry paste I had purchased for Butter Chicken. It seemed easy enough and loaded with some healthy veggies, so I thought I'd give it a go. This recipe is just as good, if not better, than my typical takeout order at my local Thai restaurant, and when served over Trader Joe's frozen brown rice {um, have you tried these packets? Genius!} it was ready in no time. The veggies are customizable to whatever you have on hand, and feel free to add some chicken, tofu, or shrimp to the mix, but this definitely hit the spot on a cold and blustery evening at home and I can't wait to whip it up again when it's just too cold to head out for takeout :) Thai Red Curry with Vegetables Ingredients 1 1/4 cup brown rice 1 Tblsp olive oil 1 small white onion, chopped pinch of salt 1 Tblsp fresh ginger, grated or chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin 2 inch long strips 1 yellow, orange, or green bell pepper, sliced into thin 2 inch long strips 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1/4 inch thick rounds {about 1 cup} 1 Tblsp Thai red curry paste 1- 14oz can regular coconut milk 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 cups packed thinly sliced kale 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar 1 Tblsp soy sauce 2 tsp rice vinegar Optional garnishes - fresh basil or cilantro, red pepper flakes, lime Instructions 1. Cook rice per instructions. 2. Warm large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Add oil. Add onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until onion has softened and is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring continuously. 3. Add bell peppers and carrots. Cook until bell peppers are fork tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. 4. Add coconut milk, water, kale, and sugar, and stir to combine. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat and cook until veggies are softened to your liking, about 10 minutes. 5. Remove from heat and season with soy sauce and rice vinegar. Serve over rice. Serves 4 adapted from cookie and kate xoxo, stephanie marie
Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Saturday, after an afternoon shopping downtown, we headed over to Erika and Joe's for dinner, where these two became instant buddies :) I just had to snap a pic of the two of them reading on the floor before bed - and when Linnea asked if Christian could come with her to brush her teeth, I almost died of the cuteness. I'm slightly jealous that it seems Linnea has a new best buddy, but I've got to admit I admire her taste :) xoxo, stephanie marie
Happy Friday! Even though I took Monday off, this has felt like such a looooong week. I'm ready for the weekend filled with lots of relaxation and taking it easy - perfect calm before the storm of holidays, right? Here's a pic of another gorgeous fall sunrise from earlier this week that I had to quickly change out of my robe to catch {as to not scare my neighbors} - it was totally worth it :) Have a great weekend! xoxo, stephanie marie
Ok, so this picture is bad, but the food was good! I made some pumpkin creme brulee last week for Halloween, but it only required the tiniest bit of canned pumpkin, so I ended up with almost a whole can that I didn't want to go to waste. While perusing Pinterest, I found this Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta from one of my faves, Skinnytaste, and since I had most of the ingredients I decided to give it a try! The recipe was super simple to put together, and was a perfect fall meal for a cold day. Since canned pumpkin is a bit flavorless, I'd recommend lots of salt and pepper, and maybe a bit more rosemary than it calls for to really amp up the flavor. Even throwing in a few fresh veggies like broccoli or brussels sprouts before you bake it would be awesome. But this dish hit the spot this week - coming home to a cold dark house in the winter, it's nice to have a warm homecooked meal to look forward to :) Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta Ingredients 8oz whole wheat pasta 2 slices center cut bacon, chopped 1 shallot, minced 15oz canned pumpkin puree 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth 3 Tblsp Romano cheese salt & pepper 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped {or about 1/4 tsp of dried} 1/4 cup shredded Romano cheese 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375. 2. Spray 9x9 baking pan with oil spray. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. 3. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan over medium heat cook chopped bacon until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Add chopped shallot and cook 1 minute. 4. Add pumpkin, chicken broth, rosemary, and 3 Tblsp Romano, stir, add salt and pepper, and simmer about 10 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions for al dente. Drain and add to pumpkin sauce. Mix well. 6. Transfer to baking dish and spread evenly. Top with remaining Romano & mozzarella. 7. Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes {I uncovered mine for the last 5 minutes} or until cheese is melted and edges are lightly browned. 8. Let cool, then serve. Serves 4 adapted from skinnytaste xoxo, stephanie marie
Sunday night, after the game, Dad and I met back up with Mom & Christian to head to Tacoma to see the one, the only, Garth Brooks. I saw Garth 19 years ago when he was last in the PNW, and though it was long ago, I still remember it being one of the best shows I've ever seen. With high expectations, this show on Sunday did not disappoint :) It was his 5th show in just 3 days, and though he confessed his voice was gone {it really was}, he promised to play as long as we let him. He called it the "kitchen-sink" show - the last of the weekend, where they were just throwing everything at us, including all the old favorites. I was on my feet dancing and singing along to every single song from our awesome floor seats {I'm pretty sure I scared C and my mom, but it was worth it}, and though he played for over 3 hours, it went by in a flash. I've been to some pretty amazing concerts in my life, but I have to say that Garth is the best. There's no doubt why he's been named the greatest entertainer, and to see him live is like nothing you've ever seen - he has so much energy, is hilarious, and makes you feel like you're the best audience he's ever had {and he does this with every audience}. It was a night I won't soon forget, and I know I'll be humming The Hits for weeks to come.
trisha came out halfway thru the set to sing a few of her hits - that woman does not age!
Sunday afternoon, Dad and I braved the rain and snow {!} and headed down to the Clink to watch the Hawks take on the Redskins in what should've been a great game. We got to the stadium right as Sidney Rice was raising the 12th Man flag to a mix of off and on rain and snow that continued throughout the first half of the game. We got used to it pretty quickly {and since we were prepared in all of our layers, it didn't bother us too badly} and focused our attention on screaming as loud as we could for our Hawks. Because of a few unfortunate mistakes and not because of our lack of yelling, the Hawks did not come out on top this time, but it still made for an exciting game as we continued our annual tradition of a father-daughter football game. Hopefully the boys will fare better on Thursday down in Arizona, and I know we'll be cheering them on from back home {but maybe not quite as loudly}. Even though they lost, I still love 'em. Go Hawks!
