Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

A few weeks back I was craving some Mexican food {when am I not?} and found this recipe for Hatch Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.  The pictures were beautiful and it seemed simple enough, so I thought I'd give it a go!  Go to Lovely Little Kitchen and check out her pictures - mine definitely don't do these justice - but the enchiladas speak for themselves.  The fact that I had them just about every day for a week and didn't get sick of them shows just how delicious these were.  They'll definitely be on rotation all winter long :)

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

Sauce
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream {or half and half}
2 Tblsp diced green chiles {canned or frozen}
2 1/2 cup shredded Mexican Blend Cheese, divided

Filling
1 cup shredded chicken
1-14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-14oz can corn, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped green chiles {canned or frozen}
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 soft taco size flour tortillas

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. For sauce, in medium pan melt butter over medium high heat.  Whisk in flour to form a paste and cook about 2 minutes.  
3. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil, whisking occasionally.  When sauce has slightly thickened, stir in heavy cream, green chiles, and 1/2 cup of cheese.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. For filling, in a large bowl mix together chicken, beans, corn, green chiles, cream cheese, and spices.  Divide mixture between 8 tortillas.
5. Pour enough sauce to cover bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Roll tortillas around filling and place seam side down in pan.  Pour remaining sauce over filled enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered, or until hot and bubbly and cheese beginning to brown.  

Garnish with avocado, green onion, cilantro, etc.

Makes 8 enchiladas

adapted from little lovely kitchen

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Ernest Loves Agnes

Last week Leslie texted to let me know that Ernest Loves Agnes, a sweet little restaurant on Capitol Hill that I had never been to but always wanted to try, was closing.  So of course we had to go try it, right?  We headed up to the hill on Friday night to this quaint little Italian spot to see what all the fuss was about, and it was lovely.  We shared everything, including the lamb meatballs {with whipped ricotta which was insane}, pappardelle with wild boar bolognese, and the roasted mushroom pizza {which afforded us leftovers for the next day}.  Everything we tried was delicious, and washed down with a few glasses of red wine made for the perfect cozy evening with a friend.  The workers assured us that they're coming back with something even better, and if Friday night's deliciousness is about to get better, I can't wait :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!  What are you up to this weekend?  I'm excited to do some yoga, eat dinner at a new place, and maybe go see a movie or two.  Oh, and sleep in :)  That's what the weekend is for, right?  

Congrats on making it through the week!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Babes who Brunch

Sunday morning I got together with the girls and their little ones for brunch.  We've found that Schooner Exact Brewing is a perfect mid-point for the 5 of us, and any excuse to snuggle those cutie pies I'll take.  Merith & Erika surprised me by dressing Addie & Linnea in the "Bows before Bros" outfits I got them for Christmas, and I must say they looked pretty adorable :)  We spent the morning drinking mimosas, playing at the train set, and trying to get pictures of the two girls together {which Linnea wanted no part of}.  It was a pretty great morning with some of my faves and with so much unrest and uncertainty in the world right now, it's nice to have reasons to smile and be thankful :)

 i'm gonna get you

 the cutest most serious face

 delicious breakfast enchiladas

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Roasted Brussels Bowls with Spicy Sausage

This is another one from my favorite new cookbook, Skinnytaste: Fast & Slow and it's a good one.  Perusing the book, I came across these Roasted Brussels Bowls with Spicy Sausage and loved the take on a pasta sauce over roasted veggies instead of noodles.  These bowls are very filling but in a way that makes you feel good about what you just ate, and can be customized with whatever veggies you want {broccoli would be great, and you could use a sweet sausage if you're not a fan of spice}.  This is one I know I'll be whipping up on busy nights as something comforting and yummy to eat over and over again :)

Roasted Brussels Bowls with Spicy Sausage

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
16oz white mushrooms, stemmed
2 Tblsp olive oil
salt & pepper
14oz spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil for garnish

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425.  Coat 2 non stick baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Place Brussels sprouts on one baking sheet and mushrooms on another.  Drizzle each with 1 Tblsp of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roast both, shaking pans every 5 minutes and switching racks halfway through, until the sprouts are browned and tender and the mushrooms are golden, about 20 minutes for sprouts and 15 minutes for mushrooms.
4. Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Add sausage and cook, using wooden spoon to break apart into small pieces as it browns, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add crushed tomatoes and pepper to taste.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. To serve, place equal parts sprouts and mushrooms into 4 bowls.  Top with sauce and garnish with basil.

Serves 4

adapted from skinnytaste: fast and slow

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Beer Trumps Hate

Friday was an interesting day to say the least.  I felt restless and anxious and tried to avoid social media and the news altogether, but by the end of the day, I needed to do something.  I convinced Ed and David to head over to Rooftop Brewing by my house to partake in a pint or two of their Beer Trumps Hate brew {clever, right?}.  All sales from this IPA go to non-profit organizations that fight hate, and after the political season we've had, it sounded like the perfect idea.  The keg was actually tapped by the time we got there {apparently we were not the only ones with this idea} but to sit and have a few beers with my friends {and strangers all around us} who were feeling the same as me felt right.  Though I didn't march, I did get a chance to voice my views and concerns peacefully and with friends, and after witnessing all the strong, powerful, and peaceful demonstrations this weekend, I have hope and optimism that this world is not all bad and we can make it even better if we stick together and keep keep pushing, keep challenging, keep loving.  I'll cheers to that any day.

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Year In Review {2016}

It's that time of year - to look back and reflect on everything that happened in 2016.  And it was a busy one!!  

I rang in 2016 with party hats and tiki drinks, cheered on my team {but it wasn't meant to be}, fixed the house, had beers in my 'hood, made some soup & salmon, tried another new restaurant, and laughed til my cheeks hurt.

February started lights out celebrating a new launch and coffee with friends, took a turn when I was Steve Harvey'd, then started to look up with a show that wasn't a drag, a holiday brunch with my Valentine, my favorite dinner, and a gorgeous sunrise.

As spring settled in I watched some bball, caught up with an old bestie, dreamed of being 
fancy, tried the yummiest new spot, monkeyed around with Ryley, worked out for bloody mary's, got crafty, showered the future mrs. bach, and realized I'm not as bad ass as I thought.

I started out April with the most fun long weekend in Santa Barbara to celebrate Maddie {and I made some time to see Susannah} and brother asked sara a big question, then I cheered on the boys of summer, played tourist, ate good food, showered baby battaglia, got my bhangra on, and treated myself to a fancy date.

May was full of ups and downs, starting with donuts with LB and showing off my artistic skills, outdoor dinner and a favorite tradition, then we celebrated the Bach's and rode around, but we said a heartbreaking goodbye to the sweetest boy I know.

We started out June with a girls weekend filled with wine, then I drank some local brews, rode a ferry, drank with an old friend, took a stroll on the beach, celebrated a big achievement and a year of cuteness, got my putt putt on, and anticipated a special arrival.

My favorite month of the year began with a celebratory game and introducing new friends to a favorite holiday, then I hosted some lovely ladies, met up with an old friend, played with Erika, drank wine with the girls, danced in the rain, and spent my birthday weekend yoga-ing, drinking, eating, and flying, but the absolute best thing that happened was stalking meeting this guy.

August was super busy with training camp and hanging with the neighbors,  dancing around the park and hanging upside down, dinners with two awesome guys and hitting some balls, meeting a new member of our crew and lots of snuggles, taking a drive to a special place, chillin' outside, and celebrating a legend.

In September I hung out at the Safe and the Clink, went Thrift Shoppin', found some zen, spent an evening with a cat, tried a cozy new spot, then took a trip with my pops to cheer on my team, drink some beer, see the fam, and have my favorite food, but the month ended in tears as we said goodbye to a great man.

October started out with a much needed getaway to the desert with my Mama for lots of food and girl time, then I hung out with some cute kids, rocked out to an old fave, celebrated an anniversary, went out to dinner, picked some pumpkins, felt very strongly, and headed off on my own.

November was all about the pura vida, and it was worth it.  Besides all the yoga, we went surfing, horseback riding on the beach, zip-lining over the jungle, cruisin', beachin', poolin', adventurin', and meeting the best people.  Oh, I was also very thankful and cheered on my team.

I ended the year with my favorite shopping party, being social, brunchin', playing in the snow, having pizza with the crew, hosting our annual ladies dinner, watching a playful take on a classic, cheering on a bowl game, meeting lots of babies, getting arty, exploring the zoo with a regular, and celebrating a snowy Christmas at home. 

What a year!  2017 - I'm ready for ya!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Thank You

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Sunset at Elliott Bay

Sunday afternoon Mom & Dad drove down to help me with a few house projects I couldn't do on my own.  After working for several hours, we got hungry and decided to head down to one of our favorites, Maggie Bluffs at Elliott Bay Marina.  While it was still too cold to sit outside, the weather wasn't quite freezing like it had been and the sun was shining, so it was the perfect evening to spend by the water watching some NFL playoffs and drinking beers.  When we got out of dinner, the sun was just setting over the bay and the colors in the sky were absolutely breathtaking.  I had to stop and snap a few pics to remember this gorgeous evening, and it reminded me why I live in this beautiful city and put up with these icky winters - when you least expect it, the most beautiful evening appears.

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili

The skies have opened and it's back to rainy Seattle winter.  While I'm appreciating the tiny bit warmer weather, I'm not into the rain.  But regardless, it's still cold out which means it's the perfect time to break out the slow cooker and make a big ol' pot of chili.  This Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili is from my new favorite cookbook Skinnytaste: Fast & Slow and it was delicious.  As the recipe says, it makes a ton {I would probably use 2 chicken breasts if making again instead of the recommended 3} but it was perfect to eat for a few days and then throw in the freezer.  It kept me warm on these cold days the past few weeks and since winter doesn't seem like it's letting up anytime soon I can't wait to reach into the freezer in a few weeks and bring it out again.  And the best part?  Absolutely no prep work {ok, except chopping the onion}.  Everything went in the slow cooker in the morning and was ready for dinner when I got home that night.  How easy is that??

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili

Ingredients
Seasoning
1 1/2 Tblsp cumin
1 1/2 Tblsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Chili
1- 8oz can tomato sauce
1- 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1- 15oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1- 10oz package frozen corn
2- 10oz cans diced tomatoes with chiles {Rotel}
1- 4oz can chopped green chiles
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients for taco seasoning and set aside.
2. In slow cooker, combine tomato sauce, beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, onion, and seasoning.  Stir well, nestle chicken on top, and cover. 
3. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.  Remove chicken and shred.  Return to cooker and stir well.
4. To serve, scoop chili in individual serving bowls and top with cilantro, avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.

Serves 10

adapted from Skinnytaste Fast & Slow

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Winter Sunrise

How was your long weekend??  Besides the awful game on Saturday {ugh, I can't even talk about it} my weekend was pretty good.  And it started out with this gorgeous sunrise on Friday morning on my way to work - I walked outside and it literally looked like the sky was on fire!  Pictures don't do it justice but let me tell you, these cold winter skies are pretty spot on.  Now, that doesn't mean I'm not totally ready for spring.....

Happy Tuesday already! :)

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Happy Blue Friday

Happy Blue Friday!  Tomorrow is a big one, and I'm pumped to watch the boys take on Atlanta on their road to the Superbowl.  It's gonna be a tough one, but I'm confident they can do it with all of the 12's behind them.  Hope you all have a great long weekend and don't forget to cheer on our team!  

Go Hawks!!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

The Market & Delancey

After the museum, Mom and I walked down to Pike Place Market to wander the stalls and check out some shops, and we were treated with a gorgeous sunset over the sound.  As we were heading back to my house and trying to decide where to go for dinner, Mom suggested that "pizza place" we went to for my birthday a few years back.  Delancey?  Yes please!  We headed up to my favorite little spot in Ballard right as they were opening and snagged the first table in the restaurant that eventually filled up quite quickly {like always}.  We ordered big glasses of wine, the Jersey salad, and a sausage pizza and devoured everything {you have to - it's so good!}.  As we took in the other patrons and planned for the upcoming holiday I was so happy to be sitting in that cozy little restaurant with some of my favorite things - pizza, wine, and my mama :)  

xoxo,
stephanie marie

YSL at SAM

The week before Christmas I took a half day at work and Mom came down to the city to go to the museum with me.  All fall {actually, since a year ago when I heard about it}, I've wanted to go see the Yves St. Laurent exhibit "The Perfection of Style" at the Seattle Art Museum and since it was leaving after the holidays, it was the perfect time to stop by.  The museum was close to empty on a Wednesday afternoon so we were able to wander around the exhibit reading the narratives, watching the videos, and taking in the amazing fashion.  It's hard to explain how it made me feel walking around and seeing these historic and gorgeous pieces of art - there's something about being around such beautiful and intricate and famous pieces that made me so giddy I had butterflies in my stomach.  I felt such a high being in the presence of these iconic dresses and sketches by the legend himself that I couldn't stop smiling and staring and taking pictures.  Unfortunately you can't go see it anymore {oops} but I definitely took enough pics to give you a feel for the magic.  Enjoy! :)

 the coolest paperdolls

 obsessed with this jacket

 the famous mondrian dress

xoxo,
stephanie marie