xoxo, stephanie marie

November 12, 2019

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{crazy saturday date night}

{finally checking out c's favorite chinese buffet on the eastside}

{begging for treats}

{perfecting the homemade old fashioned - wrong glasses but tasted delish}

{avocado toast}

{putting my honey to work around the house}

{leafy walks}

{after finding my mail scattered across my neighbor's driveway last week, i decided it was time for a locking mailbox}

{treated c to red mill in exchange for all the house projects}

{double-fisting with buckets of leaves}

{monday night football = monday night chili}

xoxo,
stephanie marie

November 8, 2019

Happy Veteran's Day weekend! I'm definitely taking advantage of this long weekend {the first job where I've ever had this day off!} and plan on spending it relaxing at home, eating yummy food, going on city adventures, and watching the Hawks beat up on the 49er's {right? RIGHT?!?}. Also - I can't believe it's now been a year since we were in Maui - take me back! Here's to a chill and easy long weekend - and thank you to all the Veteran's out there!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

November 7, 2019

Wakefield Bar

Before Sunday's game we headed downtown early to grab some brunch. We got off the bus in Belltown and after our first choice was going to have a very long wait, we wandered up the street to Wakefield Bar which had several open booths and a delicious looking menu. We warmed up with some hot coffee and after much debating decided on the BELT {Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato} sandwich & a Bloody Mary for me and the French Toast & an Irish Coffee for Christian. The portions were huge and the food absolutely delicious and paired with our breakfast cocktails it was the perfect morning activity to get us ready for the long game ahead. I loved this unassuming little spot on 2nd Avenue and will definitely be popping by again when I get a hankering for a gigantic breakfast sandwich :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

November 6, 2019

Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce, Sausage, and Baby Spinach

Last week I wanted to make something new and seasonal to accompany the sunny days and freezing cold nights. When perusing Skinnytaste I stumbled upon her Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce, Sausage, and Baby Spinach which sounded way too tasty to pass up. I decided to nix the spicy sausage for sweet {but feel free to use spicy if you want to turn it up a notch} and the dish came together in no time, proving to be exactly what I needed to get me through the cold. You'd swear there was cream in this sauce, but the butternut squash creates a delicious creamy texture that's both healthy and tasty - the perfect substitute to make this hearty pasta dish a little less guilty. I'd highly suggest giving this one a try for the chilly days ahead - I think I'll be whipping it up again soon as well :)

Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce, Sausage, and Baby Spinach

Ingredients
4-5 links {11-16oz} chicken Italian sausage
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 tsp butter
10 oz whole wheat pasta
1/4 cup shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 tblsp fresh shaved Parmesan, plus more for serving
4 sage leaves, sliced thin
Salt & Pepper

Instructions
1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft.
2. Remove squash with slotted spoon and place in blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
4. Meanwhile, in large deep non-stick skillet, saute sausage over medium heat until browned, breaking up with spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, set aside on plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and melt butter. Saute shallots and garlic until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
6. Add pureed butternut squash to pan, season with salt and pepper, and add a little of reserved pasta water to thin out sauce to your liking {about 1 cup}.
7. Add baby spinach and stir in Parmesan and sage. Toss in cooked pasta and sausage and mix until well coated.
8. Serve with additional Parmesan if desired.

Serves 4

adapted from skinnytaste

xoxo,
stephanie marie

November 5, 2019

Go Hawks!

Those Hawks sure don't like to make it easy on us fans, do they? Sheesh! Sunday morning Christian and I headed down to the stadium for our first game together this year {and my 3rd of the regular season}. The sun was shining and there was a crispness in the air making it the perfect fall afternoon for football. We grabbed a few cheap{ish} beers at Touchdown City to bring into the stadium and headed in early to enjoy the sunshine and watch the pregame festivities. That was the calmest we would be for the next 3+ hours, as the game kept us on our toes the entire time going back and forth between the Hawks and the Buccaneers. When our kicker missed a field goal with seconds left for the win, we braced ourselves for a long overtime but when the Hawks finally threw a touchdown and they declared victory there was no containing the elation that came with that win. It was an exhausting game as a fan but we came away on top and the wait for the bus afterwards was made even better by another gorgeous fall sunset. I have a feeling next Monday night's game is going to be another doozy, so I'll enjoy the extra long week of rest before it's time to face the 49er's. Go Hawks!