Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas friends!  Though the holidays look so different this year, I hope you are still able to celebrate with those you love either in person or online and that we all get some much deserved calm and relaxation.  I'm logging off for the rest of the week {and a little of next week too} to relax, reset, and recharge after a pretty crazy year {to put it mildly}.  I hope you are able to do the same and we'll come back stronger than ever for 2021!  From my cozy little corner of the world to yours, Happy Holidays! :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie 

Rosebud Motel

 

A few weekends back we noticed some neighbors several blocks down from C constructing their own version of the Rosebud Motel from Schitt's Creek.  If you know anything about us, you know we are obsessed with the show so we made it a point to take a walk down there and see the final product.  The motel is soooooo good - every little attention to detail is perfect and it is such a wonderful ode to the best show.  If you want to go see it for yourself, get ready to wait in line - ever since they were written up in the Seattle Times right after we visited there have been crowds of people waiting to take their picture there.  But is it worth the wait?  Absolutely, especially when we're all looking for a little extra cheer this year.  Even Nina approves :)

xoxo,

stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{drying off after a rainy walk}

{friday night dinner}

{sleepy girl by her tree}

{chorizo scramble}

{squishy face}

{saturday afternoon yoga}

{margaritas after Covid tests}

{freezer cleanout dinner}

{heading to the playoffs!}

{halftime walks}

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Ladies Zoom Holiday Party

 

Earlier this week we had a Ladies Zoom Holiday Party where we dressed in our holiday finest {Christmas jammies and lipstick}, drank wine, and chatted for hours - basically what we used to do at the slumber parties but without being together {man, I miss my friends}.  One of the best things to come out of this pandemic {if there are good things} is keeping in touch even more with these ladies - while it was always hard to plan something with busy schedules and far away homes back in our previous lives, it's so easy to hop on a zoom call and see their smiling faces just about any night of the week.  Though I can't wait until I can hug them in person, these online dates are the next best thing and I am so thankful to have these wonderful ladies in my life after all these years.

Cheers to Friday!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Spicy Pesto Pasta alla Vodka

 

If you're looking for a quick, easy weeknight meal to whip up before the madness of the holidays, look no further than this Spicy Pesto Pasta alla Vodka I made for us on Saturday night from my fave, Half Baked Harvest.  I love basically all pasta dishes and C loves a good vodka sauce so I thought I'd try this new take on it, combining both a vodka tomato sauce with some favorite pesto.  The meal came together in less than 30 minutes {especially if you're cooking the pasta as you're making the sauce} and was such a yummy and warm treat after a long day of walking outside in the cold.  We both went back for seconds and I'm definitely making this one again!

Spicy Pesto Pasta alla Vodka

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes {depending on how spicy you want it}

1/2 cup tomato paste {I used 1-6oz can}

1/4 cup vodka

3/4 cup basil pesto {I used TJ's brand}

Salt & Pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb short cut pasta, like penne or rigatoni

3 Tblsp butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/4 cup fresh basil roughly chopped, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium low heat.  Add shallot, garlic, and oregano.  Cook until shallots begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, add tomato paste & red pepper flakes, and cook for about 5 minutes until thickened.  Stir in vodka and cook another 2 minutes.  Stir in pesto and cream and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm over low heat.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Just before draining, remove 1.5 cups pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

3. To vodka sauce add pasta, 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, and butter, tossing until butter has melted.  Add Parmesan and basil.  If needed, thin sauce with additional pasta water.

4. Divide among bowls and serve topped with extra basil & cheese

adapted from half baked harvest

serves 4

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Urban Hiking {REI & South Lake Union}

 

Saturday afternoon we had to pick up something on hold at REI in South Lake Union but since the weather was so gorgeous and sunny for December we decided to forego the car and walk down there instead.  We headed down Queen Anne and meandered around South Lake Union, taking in the quiet streets and stopping at the new Cafe Hagen for a coffee to go {gotta love a Scandinavian coffee shop!}.  After getting our curbside pickup at REI we headed back to Queen Anne, making our way up the south side of the hill where the houses kept getting bigger and the views of the Space Needle kept getting better.  It was the perfect day for an urban hike around the city and I'm already waiting for the next sunny weekend to get back out there!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Mental Health Day

 

Friday I woke up not feelin' it so I took a much needed mental health day.  I spent the morning relaxing by the Christmas tree with a big cup of coffee and yummy breakfast, reading, meditating, doing a sweaty online yoga class, and working in the yard, soaking up the sunshine on the crisp December day.  It's hard to take a step back and focus on ourselves {especially when things are crazy busy at work}, but it's oh so important to take care of our minds and our bodies, especially as we're approaching a full year of this pandemic and a long winter ahead.  I'm so glad I took the day {though it didn't seem nearly long enough} and am encouraging you to take time to prioritize your mental health and well-being as we head into the holidays and beyond.  It's important to hit that reset button every now and then.

xoxo,

stephanie marie

The Weekend {In Pictures}

{facetime friday with jack and ruby}

{festive walk in the neighborhood}

{greek + our favorite show}

{frosty morning}

{margaritas + tree set up}

{losing her view}

{sunday morning tree trimming}

{third sunday of advent}

{special delivery from david}

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy Birthday Gram!

Happy Happy Birthday Gram!  Though I'm sure this birthday looks a lot different than previous ones, I hope you are surrounded by lots of love and know that we are thinking of you and love you lots!  We miss you and can't wait until we can give you a big hug - cheers to you!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

 

Slow Cooker Coq au Vin with Mashed Potatoes

I've made a list of Winter Cooking Projects to tackle while the weather is cool and the days are short and Coq au Vin is high on that list.  About a month back when I came across Half Baked Harvest's Slow Cooker Coq au Vin I figured it would be a super simple way to start off my winter cooking list!  Everything was relatively simple to prep then throw in the slower cooker and I loved how she included cooking the potatoes in the slow cooker as well {saved an extra pot to clean!}.  The dish was super flavorful and warming on a cold winter day and I love any chance to bring out the ol' slow cooker and let it do the cooking for me :)

Slow Cooker Coq au Vin with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped

2 lbs bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, skin on or off

2 Tblsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus 4 thyme sprigs

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tblsp tomato paste

4 carrots, chopped

2 cups cremini mushrooms, halved

1 1/2 cups dry red wine {like cabernet sauvignon}

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

4-5 small Yukon gold potatoes

1 head garlic

1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream

4 Tblsp salted butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1/3 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions

1. Rub chicken with thyme and pinch each of salt & pepper.  Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Remove bacon and reserve for later.

2. To skillet add chicken and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from skillet.  To same skillet add onion, cook 5 minutes, then remove from heat and place in slow cooker.  To slow cooker add garlic, carrots, mushrooms, tomato paste, red wine, broth, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Add chicken, skin side facing up.

3. Slice top portion of garlic head off.  Poke holes in potatoes using a fork and place on top of chicken.  Arrange thyme sprigs and garlic around the potatoes.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

4. During last 30 minutes of cooking, remove potatoes and garlic and let cool slightly.  Continue cooking chicken with lid off to thicken sauce slightly.

5. Meanwhile, make potatoes.  Peel potatoes skin away and add to bowl with cream  Squeeze garlic cloves out into potatoes to your taste.  Mash potatoes then add butter and cheeses {if using - we didn't add cheese and it was still delicious}.  Season with salt and pepper.

6. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs from slow cooker.  Stir in parsley and reserved bacon.  Serve chicken and sauce over mashed potatoes.

Serves 4-6

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Sunny Smith Cove

 

Saturday afternoon after Christian spent the better part of the day installing a new kitchen faucet for me {thanks babes!} we decided it was too late to go for our planned long walk and instead headed down to Smith Cove to sit in the sun and soak up some much needed Vitamin D.  The marina was fairly quiet for how warm and sunny it was so we found an empty bench and watched people stringing Christmas lights on their boats while Mt. Rainier peeked out in the distance.  Now that rain is forecasted for the foreseeable future, I'm glad we got to enjoy the December sunshine as much as possible at one of my favorite Seattle places.

xoxo,

stephanie marie