How To Cook A Wolf {Takeout Edition}

One of the silver linings of the lockdown is some of our favorite restaurants are doing some awesome takeaway service.  We've been trying to support some favorite local businesses while remaining as safe as possible, so Friday afternoon I told Christian I would treat him to takeout from How to Cook a Wolf, one of the original {and most delicious} of the Ethan Stowell mini-empire.  After a bit of a technical glitch with their orders which had us waiting {at a 6 foot distance from everyone else} for about 30 minutes past our original pick up time, we picked up the bag of food from their new outdoor takeout window and brought it back home, along with an add on bottle of wine for an extra $15 {and it was gooooood}.  Our dinner consisted of gemelli pasta with pancetta, wild mushrooms, mint, lemon, and grana padano, fresh burrata cheese with artichokes and farro, marinated Castelvetrano olives, and individual wedge salads {with some of the best buttermilk ranch dressing I've ever tasted} and the pictures here show about half of the pasta we actually got {the portions were surprisingly huge}.  While it's not something we'll get every week, it was fun to enjoy a fancy Friday night dinner from the comfort of home while supporting a wonderful local business that's adapting to these ever changing times.  I can definitely get behind that.

social distancing while waiting for food

xoxo,
stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{appropriate sign}

 {social distancing, but together}

 {empty seattle streets}

 {pretty blooms + walking down the middle of the road}

 {saturday afternoon negronis}

 {brother playing with facetime filters}

 {virtual happy hour with miriam, michael, and kitty}

 {blue skies}

 {my faves}

 {lots of walks}

{seattle sunbathing}

xoxo,

stephanie marie

TGIF

Happy Friday!  I've officially been 3 weeks {yesterday} working from home and I have to say it's getting quite boring {and while next week was the original end to this WFH business, we actually have quite a ways to go}.  But I know it's the right and important thing to do to help flatten the curve {and FaceTiming with this smiley boy is the biggest perk}, so I'm trying to take advantage of all this downtime by taking it easy, connecting {virtually} with friends and family, watching lots of binge-worthy tv, and being the best social-distancer I can be.  Here's to more of that for the weekend!

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay inside!!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

White Wine-Braised Chicken with Artichokes & Orzo

Another day, another recipe - because basically all I'm doing is working and eating {and bingeing some awesome shows I'll tell you about later}.  After several random trips to the grocery store over the last few weeks {before official lockdown} I managed to pick up all the ingredients for White Wine-Braised Chicken with Artichokes & Orzo from Half Baked Harvest's Super Simple cookbook.  It seemed like a good pivot from all the pasta and Asian inspired dishes I've been trying lately and it did not disappoint.  I loved the flavors of this super quick dish {everything cooks up really quickly so I'd recommend having everything chopped, measured, and ready to go beforehand} and it was really easy to cut the recipe in half {like I did} so I wasn't eating it for days on end.  If you're looking to shake up your dinners this week, give this one a shot!  Soooooo good :)

White Wine-Braised Chicken with Artichokes & Orzo

Ingredients
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs {I used breasts but cut into several smaller pieces}
Salt & Pepper
2 Tblsp butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry orzo
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 {8oz} jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 cup pitted green olives
Zest & juice of 1 lime
Feta cheese, for serving
Chopped fresh dill, for serving

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Heat olive oil in large dutch oven or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat.  Season chicken all over with salt & pepper.  When oil shimmers, add chicken and sear until golden, 3-5 minutes per side.  Transfer the chicken to a large plate.
3. In same pan, combine butter, garlic, and orzo and cook until garlic is fragrant and orzo is toasted, 2-3 minutes.  Add wine to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan.  Stir in chicken broth, artichokes, olives, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Increase heat and bring to boil.
4. Return chicken and any collected juices to pan.  Transfer to oven and roast until chicken is completely cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Serve, topping with feta and dill.

Serves 4-5

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Work From Home Recipe Ideas

While we're stuck at home for the foreseeable future, it's the perfect time to whip out those cookbooks and try some new recipes.  However, if you want to stick to some classics, here are a few of my faves {some I've already been whipping up these past few weeks} that are making me feel extra cozy and comforted.  Enjoy!

For when you need something comforting {and it freezes so well, so make extras!}:

Dahlia Bakery Tomato Soup

To use up that rotisserie chicken in a hurry:

20 Minute Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

To use up that wilting spinach on a cold day:

Sausage, Potato, and Spinach Soup

For when you bought way too many eggs {makes great leftovers}:

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

For when you want to throw it all in the crockpot and forget it:

Taco Soup

When the sun comes out and you're feeling like a fiesta:

Quesadillas de Camarones

For a super quick work from home lunch using whatever toppings you have on hand:

Quick Black Bean Burrito Bowl

A new twist on classic comfort food:

Chicken Parm Meatballs

One of my favorite simple pasta dishes ever:

Tomato Mascarpone Pasta

For a super quick meal after a Trader Joe's run:

Kale, Sausage, and Beans

My most favorite {and super customize-able} enchiladas:

Stephchiladas

When the bananas start getting brown:

Nana's Banana Bread

Don't worry, we'll get through this {and be well fed in the process!}

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Spicy Sausage Bread Crumbs

I've been seeing so many great recipes online coming from Alison Roman's new cookbook Nothing Fancy {I previously tried one of her awesome recipes here} and since Mom & Dad got it for me for Christmas I decided this was the perfect weekend to try a new recipe {I mean, what else were we going to do?}.  I picked her Pot of Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Chorizo Bread Crumbs {subbing spicy Italian sausage for the chorizo} because I love pasta and it looked super simple to make.  It really did come together super quickly and the dinner {and leftovers the next day} were exactly the kind of comfort food I'm craving during this crazy time.  When in doubt, a bowl of pasta will always make me feel better :)

Pot of Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Chorizo Bread Crumbs

Ingredients
1 lb chorizo or hot Italian sausage {or if you don't like spicy, just use sweet sausage!}
6 Tblsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs {this seemed like a lot - could have easily just done 1 cup}
Salt & Pepper
1 lb dried tube shaped pasta {we used penne}
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1- 4 or 6oz can tomato paste {about 1/4 cup}
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped {or if you don't have fresh, you could use frozen broccoli florets}
Parmesan, for serving

Instructions
1. Cook sausage in large pot over medium high heat, breaking up the meat with spoon until browned, about 8 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage, leaving the fat behind.
2. Add 3 Tblsp oil and bread crumbs to the pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 2-3 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.
3. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente.  Drain, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water.
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 Tblsp oil in the pot, then add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's toasted and golden brown, 2-3 minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it's a nice brick-red color and starts to stick a bit to the bottom of the pot, 2-3 minutes more.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the broccoli rabe and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until it's all wilted and bright green, 3-5 minutes.
6. Add the pasta and sausage back to the pot along with about 1/2 cup pasta water.  Cook, stirring constantly, until each piece of pasta is coated nicely in the tomato-y, sausage-y sauce {add more water if needed}.
7. Serve from the pot, topping each bowl with toasted bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

adapted from nothing fancy

xoxo,
stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{once again supporting our favorite greek restaurant with takeout}

 {sunset walks}

 {a gorgeous spring day}

 {my faves}

 {another yoga saturday}

 {soaking up the sun on the roof even though the wind was chilly}

 {cherry blossoms}

 {breakfast}

 {holding tight to each other while social distancing from others}

{ending the weekend with my favorite homemade soup}

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Happy {Spring} Friday

TGIF, amiright?  It's been quite the week - with the local and world news getting worse and worse by the day, it's hard to stay focused with this sense of unease and anxiety and not knowing what's going to happen next.  I think it's time for a big glass of wine, some homecooked meals, Netflix, snuggles, and puzzle building {because, well, what else are we allowed to do now?}.  Stay safe and healthy, my friends, and social distance like it's your job - it won't go on forever!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Bar at Home

I didn't know when I started back up at the Bar Method 2 months ago that plans would quickly get derailed due to COVID-19.  It makes sense - no one wants to be squished in a room with sweaty people sharing who knows what viruses - but I still was sad to miss that sense of community and wondering what I was going to do in my now 2 months of work from home.  Thankfully, the ladies at Bar got super creative and started offering Livestream classes via Instagram and just this week have joined together with other PNW studios to alternate who teaches the classes and offering them up to take another time if you can't join the live one.  It's been so nice being able to continue moving my body during this uncertain time and getting out that bit of anxiety and unease that has shown up these days.  When I found I didn't have any weights to do arm work, I turned to the next best thing - my stash of wine {I knew that wine club would come in handy!}.  Now I just have to make sure I don't go through my whole stash of wine during this social distancing period {which is easier said than done} but the fact that I get to connect each day with some of my favorite people and work out makes being stuck at home just a little bit better.

Hope you're keeping your mind and body active during these uncertain and stressful times!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Urban Hiking {Westlake & Fremont}

Sunday afternoon we needed to get out of the house, and with the sun shining but the wind blowing we bundled up and grabbed our sunglasses to head out on a quiet, socially-distanced walk.  Our original goal was to replicate this walk from the summer, taking us the entire way around Lake Union, but by the time we go to Westlake the wind was whipping and it was brutally cold, so we decided instead to just follow Westlake to Fremont then head back up Queen Anne.  We still got in a 5 mile walk on this sunny but oh so cold day, and it was quite sobering when we got to Fremont and wanted to stop for lunch or a beer, then realizing that it really was not the responsible thing to do.  New normal, eh?  Instead, we opted for takeout at one of our favorite little spots on Queen Anne before heading back home to enjoy lunch in the warmth of the townhouse.  While we're isolating for the foreseeable future, it seems even more important than ever to get outside and into the fresh air {at a safe distance from others} to keep ourselves calm and healthy.

 an eerily quiet aurora ave

the sun was very misleading

 i sometimes dream of living on a houseboat - the ultimate seattle living

 the yummiest taco salad

xoxo,
stephanie marie