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

A Public Service Announcement

Friends - if you find yourself walking into the bathroom with your cell phone in your back pocket, I beg you to stop, remove the phone, and place it carefully in a safe, dry place.  You do not want to hear that dreaded splash into the (clean) toilet that mine made earlier this week.  However, if you do find yourself in this predicament, quickly remove the phone from the toilet, dry off with a clean towel, and place in a Ziploc bag of rice (see above picture) for at least 24 hours to soak up the residual moisture.  It works wonders :)

Happy {safe and fun} Labor Day weekend - see you in September!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Broccoli Chowder with Corn & Bacon

With chilly mornings and early evenings, the onset of Fall makes me instantly think of soup.  Even though it seems a little ridiculous to make soup in August, when I found this yummy looking Broccoli Chowder with Corn and Bacon recipe in the Everyday Food Light cookbook for summer, I knew it was meant to be.  The fresh veggies in the warm soup help the transition from summer to fall feel a bit easier, and since it's a lighter version of a traditional chowder (what?? no heavy cream??), it's much more fitting for late summer when you're not in the mood to eat big, heavy meals yet.  While I was a bit skeptical that this soup would have enough flavor, I was surprised that just a half teaspoon of thyme instantly perked it up (the bacon didn't hurt either).  This was a perfect recipe for my transition back into the kitchen :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

The Great Oyster Debate

Saturday night, after our kayaking adventure, Maddie and I met up with David at The Walrus & The Carpenter for cocktails, a few small bites, and oysters (after we saw our bill for these few items, we decided to finish our meal with $3.50 slices at Ballard Pizza Co :).  Later that night, I posted the above picture on instagram of our yummy batch of oysters.  The next morning, I awoke to my dad's picture on instagram of his famous "oyster nachos" with the caption "What oysters are supposed to look like!"  While I can't argue against dad's oysters (they are amazing), I have to say that I did enjoy the raw ones with a bit of horseradish and shallot vinaigrette.  So this begs the question - how do you like your oysters?  Fried and crunchy?  Dressed up on the BBQ?  Cold and fresh?  For me, it's all of the above! (but yes, dad - yours are the best)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula & Tomatoes

Though I've been having a pretty awesome summer, one thing that's been missing is some good home cookin'.  It's been a beautiful summer so far, so the thought of spending the evening in the kitchen when I could be out playing in the sun seems silly.  But now that the mornings are getting chillier and the evenings are getting shorter, it's time to get my butt back to the kitchen and start making some yummy meals.  First up?  This Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes that I found while perusing my Everyday Food Light cookbook.  It combines 3 of my favorite ingredients, and literally took 10 minutes to put together for a quick and flavorful weekend lunch.  I adapted the recipe a bit, since I knew it wouldn't make very good leftovers, and it can be served over pasta or rice (though I just ate it plain).  Give it a try when you don't want to spend precious time in the kitchen, but want something that will impress :)

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula & Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 lb large shrimp

2 cups arugula

Salt and pepper

1 tblsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until blistered, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until almost opaque throughout, about 4 minutes.

2. Add arugula, season with salt and pepper, and toss until wilted, about 1 minute.  Add lemon juice and toss to combine.

Serves 2

adapted from Everyday Food Light

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Kayaking {Agua Verde}

Because I had been talking about it non stop this summer (and because it's been on my Summer To Do List for 2 years now), Maddie surprised me with a kayaking day for my birthday!  I finally cashed in this past weekend, on a day that ended up being absolutely gorgeous.  We got in line at Agua Verde Paddle Club (with about 50 other people) and 30 minutes later we were out on the water, heading for the Arboretum. What we didn't realize was just how busy the Montlake Cut would be on such a beautiful day.  Terrifying.  But once we got through the Cut without tipping over or running into a boat, we headed over to the Arboretum for the relaxing part of our day.  For being so close to the craziness on the lake, it's surprisingly peaceful to just float around the lily pads and navigate the small waterways through the area.  It was absolutely beautiful.  After about an hour of that, though, it was time to say a prayer to the sea witch and head back through the cut again.  Though it was even scarier (and exhausting) going through the second time, we were rewarded when we got back with tacos and bottles of Mexican Cokes at the Agua Verde Cafe.  It was a perfect day out on the water and I can't wait to go back and try it again.  Thanks for a great day, Maddie!!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Outdoor Movie {Magnuson Park}

Last week I met Holden and a bunch of his friends for Outdoor Movies at Magnuson Park.  After a day of temps in the mid-90's, I was excited to be out of my scorching apartment and in the shade of the huge inflatable screen.  The group brought bottles of wine and a picnic and when the sun went down, Back to the Future started playing on the big screen.  I had forgotten how much I love that movie!  It had been years since I've been to an outdoor movie (coincidentally enough, also with Holden), and with so many options in and around the city, I can't believe it's taken me this long to get to another one.  With summer winding down, I may have to go seek out another in the next few weeks.

Happy Friday :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie