Happy {Finally End of January} Friday!

Happy Friday!  Wow - January has pretty much gone on forever, amiright?  A lot has been accomplished in this first month of the decade, but maybe the best part?  FaceTiming with Jack yesterday :)  This little cutie was all smiles as we chatted and laughed and it made me realize {once again} how big he's getting and how I need to get over and snuggle him.  In the meantime, I'm ready for a busy weekend celebrating the wedding of some dear old friends and watching JLo at halftime the Superbowl.  Happy Weekend!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Penne Alla Vodka

One of my favorite and most used Christmas gifts so far is Half Baked Harvest's new cookbook, Super Simple.  I've already made several things out of this - surprise! - simple cookbook and of course it's all delicious.  Since Christian loves a good vodka sauce we decided to give her version a try a few weeks back and in no time we were enjoying big yummy bowls of pasta on a cold winter night.  The ingredients taste really fresh and crisp, and while you can't actually taste the vodka the flavors of the pasta really shine through making this a super easy and yummy weeknight meal to whip up whenever you're looking for something simple yet filling.  Enjoy!

Penne Alla Vodka

Ingredients
4 Tblsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vodka
1-28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained and chopped
Salt & Pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 lb penne
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Fresh basil for serving

Instructions
1. In large saucepan, combine butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes over medium-low heat.  Cook, stirring often, until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add vodka and bring to a simmer.  Cook until reduced by one third, 2 to 3 more minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper.  
2. Simmer sauce over medium heat until reduced slightly, 10-15 minutes.  Transfer sauce to a blender {or use an immersion blender} and puree until smooth or desired consistency.  Stir in cream until combined.
3. Meanwhile, bring large pan of salted water to boil over high heat.  Cook penne according to directions until al dente.  Drain and add pasta and Parmesan to the sauce, tossing to combine.
4. To serve, divide pasta among plates and garnish with basil and more Parmesan.

Serves 6

adapted from half baked harvest super simple

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Date Night {Sitka & Spruce and Tavern Law}

 

When I heard last fall that Sitka & Spruce would be closing it's doors for good, I knew Christian and I had to go try it out while we still had a chance.  It had been years since I had dined there {almost 8 to be exact} so I made us reservations for the Friday after Christmas for a little after-holiday date to look forward to.  The food was yummy and the service nice {when they took too long with my glass of champagne, she gave me a glass and a half to make up for it} but what I'll miss most about this iconic Seattle restaurant is the atmosphere in Melrose Market - it truly is one of the cutest, coziest little spots to dine with big windows in the summer and low lighting in the winter and it is sad that it's now gone.  After dinner we decided to go grab another drink so after walking all over the hill we finally stopped at Tavern Law where I used to go all the time back when it opened.  I'm not sure when $20+ cocktails became the norm {yikes!} but it was still fun to sit at this nostalgic spot and drink fancy cocktails while we reminisced about the holidays and made plans for the year to come.  Hopefully it includes more date nights {and less restaurant closures}:)

 bread with whipped butter

 roasted carrots

 potato gnocchi with red wine braised beef {my fave of the night}

 black cod

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Sunday in the Valley

Since Maggie is heading back to Sweden next week we decided to take a drive up north so she could visit with my grandparents and parents.  Our first stop was at the island where we took Nina for a walk and let her run loose in the fields and down the street, exhausting her for the rest of the day.  We spent the afternoon having coffee and chatting with Grandma and Grandpa at the cabin then all of us headed back to the farm house where Mom and Dad had prepared a delicious dinner for the 7 of us to enjoy.  I love that even though there are a few language barriers my family and Christian's are able to communicate and connect and they really do love spending time together.  Having all of these people I love in the same room is the absolute best :)  Until next time!

 you can't tell from this face but she loves car rides

 a cold but sunny day at theisland

 soooooo tired

 trying to sneak her way up onto the couch

the moms

xoxo,
stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

avocado toast

 nap time

 walking buddy

 views from kinnear park

 small pockets of sunshine

 snuggled

 brothers

so. many. oysters.

happy birthday miriam!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Portland {Part III}

Sunday night after resting at the hotel and debating a few different places for dinner we decided to try Tasty n Alder which had come highly recommended and was conveniently located just a few blocks from our hotel.  The restaurant was extremely busy with a long wait but we lucked out by snagging two open seats at the bar and decided to stay there for the night.  After ordering drinks and asking our awesome bartender for dinner recommendations, we decided to get a bunch of stuff to share.  Plate after plate came out of the kitchen of amazingly delicious food that we both agreed was one of the best meals we've ever had, particularly the Radicchio salad with bacon and a 6 minute egg {oh man I could eat this every day of my life!} and the Wagyu Coulotte steak which melted in your mouth like butter.  It was fun sitting at the bar and eating this insane meal and I cannot wait to go back the next time we're in Portland.  After dinner we debated whether or not to grab a drink somewhere before calling it a night but instead ended up getting some drinks in our hotel bar to bring back to the room and drink in bed while watching tv on our 65 inch screen - it was the perfect end to the day :)  Monday morning we woke up early to take advantage of our last day and headed out of downtown to the north side, landing at Besaw's for a delicious brunch sitting at the counter overlooking the kitchen.  Afterwards we walked around the neighborhood before driving up to the sprawling Washington Park and world famous rose garden where we walked around taking in the views of the city and the mountains beyond and spotting a few sporadic roses in bloom.  We made our way down the hill, driving through the fancy neighborhoods and dreaming of the gorgeous old homes before making our way out of the city to do some last minute tax-free shopping {of course we had to hit up Target Ikea, & Costco!}.  It was such a fun weekend exploring an unfamiliar place with my sweetie and I can't wait for our next adventure together!

radicchio salad - amazing

goat cheese dumplings arrabiata

fried brussels sprouts in fish sauce

wagyu coulotte w/ black trumpet compound butter

huevos rancheros at besaws

the deserted rose garden

Thanks for a great weekend, Portland!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Portland {Part II}

Sunday morning we woke up with no real plans but to eat good food and explore Portland on foot.  We walked over the bridge for brunch at Olympia Provisions {highly recommended by many} and after a "coffee crisis" {sorry brunch place - but it can't take you 25 minutes to serve your patrons coffee!} we settled in to a huge meal of the Spanish charcuterie board {with so many kinds of chorizo} to share, a potato hash with veggies for me, and the benedict for C.  Everything was really delicious and despite the coffee issue we left the restaurant completely stuffed.  We wandered into a few shops on that side of the city before heading back over the bridge to continue the day.  We stopped in at Stumptown for coffee and ran into a friend from high school {small world!} then continued our walk around downtown and the Pearl, enjoying the street art on the old buildings and stopping in stores for some tax-free shopping where my sweetie bought me a pretty pair of earrings as a souvenir from our trip.  I'm a lucky girl! :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie