Urban Hiking {Ballard Farmer's Market & Trailbend Taproom}

Sunday morning, after the overnight snow had mostly melted, we decided to take advantage of the blue skies and head out for an urban hike.  We headed north on the slightly warm afternoon and even though the walk across the Ballard Bridge is long and loud, we made it to Ballard in time to wander around the Farmer's Market and into a few fun shops.  Next, we were getting hungry so we headed towards the breweries, stopping in at Trailbend Taproom {one of our faves} for beers and a delicious pizza to share.  Afterwards we braved the walk back over the bridge to round out our 6.5 mile jaunt, only to be stopped by the rising bridge for a sailboat crossing underneath.  The weather has been so weird lately so I'm glad we were still able to get out there and enjoy some sunshine before the next round of snowflakes!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{poke night}

{snowy weather = cocktails + fireplace}

{fish soup}

{waking up to a dusting of snow on the ground}

{baking day}

{hard at work}

{pasta night}

{semlor!}

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!  It's been a WEEK at work and I'm so excited for no plans this weekend other than watching some movies, doing taxes {yuck}, wedding planning, and maybe seeing some snow?!?  Though since next week is already March, I'm pretty ready for springtime over here!  And with that I'll leave you with this pic of me and Penny just chilling last weekend - isn't she the cutest?! :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Swiss Chard Enchiladas

I know Swiss Chard Enchiladas may not be at the very top of your list, but I promise you these are some of the best enchiladas I've tasted.  When I first got the Smitten Kitchen Keepers cookbook this recipe instantly popped out as something I wanted to try and when we finally did a few weeks back, I knew it was going to become an instant classic in our house.  The flavors are perfect {especially that homemade enchilada sauce} and even though it's vegetarian it is super filling and delicious.  I'd highly recommend whipping these up for a quick weeknight meal - it's one of my faves lately!

Swiss Chard Enchiladas

Ingredients

Filling

1 lb bundle Swiss chard

1 large red onion

Salt & pepper

Olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup corn kernels {I used 1 can, rinsed and drained}

1- 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese

Sauce

1- 14.5oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

Olive oil

1 Tbsp ground chili powder

1/2 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

Assembly & Finish

8- 8inch flour tortillas

1 cup grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1 avocado, sliced

Sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400.

2. Strip leaves from chard stems and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons.  Set aside.  Cut steps into 1/4 inch segments.  Cut red onion in half, and one of the halves in half again.  Thinly slice one quarter, season with a pinch of salt, and set aside to use as garnish later.  Finely chop remaining 3/4 of the onion.

3. Heat large frying pan over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbsp olive oil and once hot add chard stems, chopped onion, garlic, and salt & pepper to season.  Cook until stems soften slightly, about 5-7 minutes.  Add greens and more salt and pepper and cook until wilted, another 5-7 minutes.  Add corn and cook 2 minutes.  Transfer to bowl and add black beans and Cotija.  Taste filling and adjust seasonings as needed.  

4. In blender, combine tomatoes, 3 Tblsp olive oil, chili powder, sugar, cumin, and oregano until mixture is smooth.  Season well with salt {1/2 to 1 tsp}.

5. Coat baking dish lightly with oil and spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom.  For each tortilla, spread a spoonful of sauce on the tortilla, fill with filling and roll, placing in dish seam side down.  Repeat until you run out of filling.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas, leaving the very edges without so they can get crispy.  Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

6. Serve with remaining red onion, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.

Serves 4

adapted from smitten kitchen keepers

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Girls Day in Seattle

Sunday I got to play tourist in my own city, showing a different side of Seattle to Mom, Kelli, and Abby before the Colorado crew headed back home.  We started off the morning at the Ballard Farmer's Market where it stayed grey but dry, joining the hundreds of other market-goers checking out the yummy winter veggies, cutest dogs, and Market mini donuts {which we of course had to try}.  After the market we headed up to the Starbucks Roastery, which ended up being a pretty terrible idea for a Sunday afternoon as it was crawling with tourists and the wait for coffee looked to be hours.  After a quick stop in the pretty empty {sad} Melrose Market, we continued east towards Madrona, stopping in at Glassybaby so Kelli could get her very first one.  After a yummy lunch at Madrona Arms we headed over to Volunteer Park Cafe for coffees, winding along some of my favorite neighborhoods before heading home to chill pre-airport.  It was fun showing these guys parts of the city that aren't the normal tourist traps and it reminded me of some of my favorite parts of Seattle.  Can't wait to have you back, ladies!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Day Trip {Portland}

Saturday morning we woke up bright and early for a day trip down to Portland as we had a few errands to run and wanted to take advantage of some tax-free shopping and a day out of our normal routines.  It was smooth sailing down to Oregon besides a few rainstorms and we arrived just in time for a yummy brunch.  We grabbed food at Paiku which had great reviews and was nearby where we needed to be, and after a very long wait we inhaled our delicious brunch and vowed to not need anymore food for the rest of the day.  We never even made it to downtown Portland, instead stopping off at a BBQ store, Costco, and Target, but it was a fun day spent doing something different and out of the ordinary.  I love that in a few short hours we can be in a totally different state - but I think next time we'll make a whole weekend of it :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy {Long Weekend} Friday!

Happy Friday!  We have a jam packed weekend coming up so luckily I get an extra day off on Monday to continue the weekend and relax.  Our Valentine's celebration this week was low-key per usual - I told Christian instead of a card and flowers all I wanted was a festive donut and he happily obliged!  It's the little things, right?  Hope you have a great long weekend - cheers!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Mushroom Bolognese

There's nothing better than a big bowl of warm pasta on a cold day, and if I can try to make it a little healthier and meat-free, I'm all for it.  When looking through my newest Barefoot Contessa cookbook I came across this recipe for Mushroom Bolognese, a vegetarian nod to her Weeknight Bolognese that I make constantly and absolutely love.  This comes together super quickly and while it may seem like a lot of mushrooms to begin with, they cook down and create the most delicious flavor and texture that you don't even miss the meat.  This is becoming a staple in our house when I'm craving a veggie pasta and I suggest the same for you!

Mushroom Bolognese

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 1/2 lbs cremini mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed, and diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves {or 1 tsp dried}

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided

1-28oz can crushed tomatoes

2 Tbsp tomato paste

Salt & Pepper

1 lb dried pasta

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in medium Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and cook 5-7 minutes until starting to brown.  Stir in garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.  Pour 1 cup wine into pot and stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.  Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pepper.  Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed in salted water.  Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.

3. Add remaining 1/4 cup wine, nutmeg, basil, and mascarpone to sauce and simmer another 5 minutes.  Add pasta and enough reserved pasta water to make a loose sauce and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, until pasta absorbs the sauce.  

4.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup Parmesan.  Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan and basil.

Serves 4-6

adapted from go to dinners

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Urban Hiking {Lake Union & Bowriders Grill}

This past weekend felt positively springlike {though the snow flurries we had yesterday makes me think we still have a long way to go} so we decided to head out on a long urban hike.  We haven't walked the full Lake Union loop in awhile so we headed out through SLU and along Eastlake with a final destination of Westward for snacks and a beverage.  When we got to Westward and noticed a small sign pointing through a gate to the Bowrider's Grill, we were intrigued so decided to follow the path to this cutest hidden gem next door, a more low-key and casual waterfront spot than Westward with equally stunning views.  We grabbed some amazing salmon tacos to share, along with a beer and a rosé {hey, it felt like spring} and sat in the converted boat/firepit with spectacular views of the lake and the city beyond.  I'm sure this place is going to fill up come warmer weather, but I'm hoping it stays a little under the radar because I cannot wait to go spend summer evenings there sipping on wine and eating delicious food.  Warmer weather can't come soon enough!

our favorite little eastlake market with the most wonderful wine selection

the remains of the tacos

does it get better than this?

xoxo,

stephanie marie