Happy Friday

Happy Friday!  I feel like I've squeezed about 2 weeks worth of work into this short holiday week and I'm excited for a few days away from the computer to just chill.  Here's hoping the sun stays long enough for a rooftop bbq before the rain comes and I get to snuggle up with some Netflix and cocktails.  Cheers to the weekend!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Sausage, Veggies, and Pesto

I love nothing more than an easy and quick dinner made entirely of Trader Joe's ingredients and this one is definitely a winner.  I randomly saw it on the Styled Snapshots instagram and immediately picked up all the ingredients on my most recent TJ's trip.  It was a cinch to put together and could be made with any variety of protein {chicken, shrimp, tofu} and veggies that you have lying around, but the main thing is the delicious vegan pesto that really pulls it all together.  Next time you're at TJ's make sure to pick up these yummy ingredients and you'll have dinner ready in no time!

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Sausage, Veggies, and Pesto

Ingredients
1 bag TJ's Cauliflower Gnocchi
2-3 links favorite sausage, casings removed
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Several cups veggies {I used broccoli, green pepper, onion, and mushrooms}
TJ's Vegan Kale, Cashew, and Basil Pesto {almost the whole package}
Grated Parmesan {for topping, if desired}

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400.  Arrange veggies on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and top with salt & pepper.  Mix to coat evenly.  Roast until done to your liking, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage on stove over medium heat.  Break up links and cook until done.  Set aside.
3. Cook gnocchi, but don't follow package directions.  Instead, in skillet cook gnocchi with a little bit of olive oil until browned on sides and cooked through.
4. Add sausage and veggies to pan with cooked gnocchi.  Stir in pesto to taste until everything is coated.  Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 2

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Memorial Day BBQ

Saturday afternoon we decided to get out of town for a few hours and head up to the valley for a socially distanced Memorial Day Weekend BBQ at my parents house.  The weather was just nice enough to be able to socially distance outside, where activities included Christian and Dad graciously washing my car, Nina exhausting herself by exploring every inch of the yard, enjoying a delicious bbq dinner and lots of catching up.  Afterwards we headed out to the island for a quick check in with gram and gramps and Nina absolutely loved sticking her head out the window and feeling the salty air in her hair.  It was a perfect quick and safe getaway to unofficially start summer and made me hopeful for more in the near future.

xoxo,
stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{thai + nina + netflix}

 {morning reading}

 {breakfast}

 {socially distanced meet up with the millers and nina}

 {sleepy dog}

 {making afternoon waffles on the roof}

 {yum!}

{rainy afternoon called for tea and finishing an awesome book}

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Happy {Long} Weekend

You would think that being home every single day it wouldn't matter that there's a holiday coming up, but I'm so looking forward to a long weekend and a day off {without the computer} to unwind, take a few breaths, and just relax.  While the weather may not be perfect for that Memorial Day BBQ, I hope you can find some happiness and peace during this long weekend and take some time out just for you.   Have a great one, and here's a picture of my favorite cutie to get the weekend started!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Sh*t Happens

After spending the past few days dealing with plumbers, root balls, an overflowing shared sewer, and the inevitable clean up {I can't even think about it - ugh}, I would like to issue a Public Service Announcement that flushable wipes are NOT flushable {looking at you, neighbors} and if you have the misfortune to share a sewer line with neighbors that have a house higher above sea level than yours, you will be the unfortunate one dealing with all the aftermath of any issues {raises hand}.  I'll spare you the details {you can use your imagination} and instead will share this pretty rose blooming next to my front door :)  Stay safe, stay healthy, and remember that our houses and cars don't care there is a virus going around out there and will break down at the most inconvenient times, so a reminder to be patient, take deep breaths, know it will pass, and try to laugh.  It's all we can really do right now, right?

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Sesame Chicken Noodles

I was running really low on ingredients for dinner the other night {I've been trying to limit grocery trips to every 2 weeks or so} but realized I had everything for the Sesame Chicken Noodles I found in Chrissy Teigen's Cravings cookbook.  They were super simple to put together {and would be even faster if you already had cooked chicken} and in no time I was enjoying a flavorful and easy dinner which made great cold leftovers for lunch the next day.  This is a perfect pantry recipe if your refrigerator is looking a little bleak and would be great with other proteins or more fresh veggies.  Enjoy!

Sesame Chicken Noodles

Ingredients
Salt
1 {8oz} boneless, skinless chicken breast
8oz dried fettuccine
2 tsp sesame oil, divided
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup tahini
3 Tblsp soy sauce
2 Tblsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp chili oil
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions
1. Fill large saucepan 2/3 full of salted water.  Bring to boil and add chicken.  Cover, remove from heat,  and cook until tender and cooked through, about 20 minutes depending on size of chicken {alternately, you could leave on stove on low heat to simmer until cooked through}.  Remove chicken when done and let cool.
2. Cook fettuccine according to package directions.  Drain, rinse in cold water, then shake dry in colander.
3. While pasta cooks, whisk together 1 tsp sesame oil, peanut oil, tahini, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, honey, cayenne, and garlic until smooth.
4. Transfer noodles to large bowl and pat dry with paper towel.  Toss with remaining 1 tsp sesame oil.
5. Shred chicken.  Add to noodles, toss with dressing, and garnish with scallions.

Serves 3-4

adapted from cravings

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Pots and Plants

Sunday afternoon I finally sat down to plant all the flowers dad got me from his annual plant sale.  I sat outside for a few hours putting together planters and baskets with all the colorful flowers and still didn't have enough pots for everything.  It was therapeutic getting my hands dirty and prepping my yard for summer and I love seeing the colorful pots on the front steps every time I walk up.  Yay for sunny weather!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

The Weekend {In pictures}

 {friday night takeout}

 {saturday scones and sausages}

 {house work that didn't work, but love that he tried}

 {boarded up shops in downtown}

 {grilled ham and cheese}

 {sunday laziness}

{pretty rose from my garden}

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Happy Friday

Happy Friday!  Another week in quarantine down, another million or so to go.  What are you up to this weekend?  With the weather being a bit unpredictable, I plan on lots of show watching, book reading, puzzle building, and walks outside to keep the sanity!  Above is a pic from last week of the view from my house - what an eerie, creepy cloud over Queen Anne, eh?  

Have a great weekend!  And wash your hands! :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Spring has Sprung

Don't you just love spring?  Here are a few pics from around the yard last weekend when it was 80+ degrees outside and just about everything was in full bloom.  The colors this time of year always make me so happy and excited for warmer weather ahead :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie