Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

I made this recipe for Chicken & Basil Stir Fry a few years ago for my mom and we both absolutely loved it, so when I came across it again while pondering what to make for dinner recently, I had to try it out to see if it really was as good as I remembered.  Turns out, it was :)  The simple marinade and the fragrant basil (I used regular basil instead of Thai basil) blend deliciously together, and served over steamed white rice, it's a perfect quick and easy weeknight meal that is sure to impress.

Chicken and Basil Stir Fry

Ingredients

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into thin slices

1/2 tblsp cornstarch

salt and pepper

4 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 onion, sliced into wedges

1 red bell pepper, insides removed and sliced into strips

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup water

1 tblsp rice vinegar

1 tblsp soy sauce

1 cup loosely packed basil, torn

cooked white rice

Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.  Toss with cornstarch until coated; season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp oil on medium high.  Cook chicken until browned on both sides.  Transfer to a plate.

3. Wipe skillet clean with paper towel.  Add remaining oil with onion and bell pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until beginning to brown (about 3 minutes).  Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 1 minute).

4. Add water, vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken.  Cook tossing, until chicken is cooked through (about 1 more minute).  Remove from heat and stir in basil leaves.  Serve over rice.

Serves 2

adapted from Everyday Food

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Discovery Park

Saturday afternoon, Maddie and I packed up a picnic and headed out to Discovery Park for a day in the sunshine.  We hiked down to the lighthouse and were greeted with blue skies, a light breeze, and a few Seattleites enjoying the last days of summer.  We laid on the beach for hours, snacking, watching sailboats, and guessing shapes in the clouds, before heading back up via the Loop Trail for more views of the bay and a hike through the woods.  I can't believe I've never been to Discovery Park, but I'm so happy Maddie took me there to check another thing off my list :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Mariner Moose

Friday night, with the sun shining and a short week behind us, Stefanie and I headed to the ballpark for a 'date night' to watch King Felix and the Mariners take on Oakland on one of the most beautiful nights I've ever spent at Safeco.  On our walk from our bleacher seats to The Pen to meet up with friends, we ran into my ultimate childhood hero - The Mariner Moose.  We immediately cut in line in front of several 4 year olds just to get our picture with the iconic Mariner mascot.  Though the M's couldn't pull off a victory for us, our night was complete with our Moose sighting :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Mariners Squared

Tonight I'm capping off the short week with my second Mariner game in 3 days.  Though the seats may not be quite as awesome as Wednesday's (see above), I know the company will be exceptional :)  I'm excited to watch Perfect Felix pitch while drinking beers in the September sunshine - what a great way to start off the weekend!

Enjoy the sunshine, friends!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Pasta with Sausage, Swiss Chard, and Pine Nuts

I had a huge To Do List for Labor Day weekend, and although most of it didn't even get a second glance (clean the kitchen? no thanks), one thing I was insistent on was trying a new recipe.  Since my love of pasta runs deep, I decided to make a version of Everyday Food's Pasta with Sausage, Swiss Chard, and Pine Nuts that I had been flipping past in my cookbook forever.  I had always been a little hesitant of adding raisins to my pasta, and while they weren't my favorite the first night I made the dish, for leftovers the next day the flavors had a chance to blend and it ended up being even better.  Be warned - this one makes a ton and could've easily been halved.  But when faced with a full and busy week, it's nice to have something quick to throw in my lunch bag that I know will fill me up during the day.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Skillet Diner

Per tradition, Erika and I headed out to a new restaurant of my choosing for my birthday dinner.  Since I had heard rave reviews time and time again about Skillet Diner, I knew we had to give it a try.  When we walked in, Erika asked "this place serves small plates, right?" and after a quick peek at the fried chicken and waffles at the table next to us, we knew this couldn't be further from the truth :)  Though the wait for a table was long, we ended up quickly snagging seats at the bar where the bartender made us yummy cocktails and kindly split our meals for us (we love to get different menu items and share).  Everyone had a different recommendation for us, but we ended up splitting the chilaquiles (amazing) and the special of the day, shredded pork with corn tamales.  The food was awesome and the staff really friendly, and neither of us could stop talking about all of the things we're going to order when we come back :)  Thanks for an awesome night, Erika!

 chilaquiles

 shredded pork with corn tamales

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Labor Day Pig Roast

Sunday afternoon we were invited down to the Helling house in Gig Harbor for some sun, water time - and a pig roast.  Leif had acquired a full pig, and after butchering and marinating overnight, it was set in the fire pit all day to roast for dinner.  I kept watching in awe, because except for Hawaii, I've never seen a full pig roasted right in front of me.  Needless to say, the end result was delicious :)  Besides the pig, we spent the day on the Relaxation Station, taking out the lasers and wind surfer for a spin, and lounging around on the grass with friends soaking up the last days of summer.  Thanks for inviting us, Autumn and Ryan! :)

checking the pig

my super easy and yummy contribution to dinner - sliced watermelon, crumbled feta, and torn mint leaves

the lasers

the girls on the relaxation station

our dinner

leif and penny slicing up the pig

xoxo,

stephanie marie