Tulips at Sunset

Saturday evening, after a visit at the beach with G&G, I convinced Christian to go the long way home and drive through the tulip fields.  It was just before sunset and most of the tourists had gone home for the day, so we pulled over along the side of the road with some other locals to take in these gorgeous yellow and red fields.  Though I've been around these my whole life, it's always breathtaking to see them up close, stretching as far as the eye can see in bright shades of all the colors of the rainbow.  It was a perfect evening to check out the fields and if you're in the area, make sure to swing by!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Easter Weekend {Edison & The Street Fair}

Friday afternoon Christian and I skipped out of work a little early to head up north for the weekend.  We tried and failed to beat the holiday traffic, but managed to get there in time for dinner.  We headed out to The Old Edison, a Skagit Valley staple, where we had delicious, freshly made food {after all, the kitchen is a one man show so everything is fresh off the grill!} paired with yummy beers.  We then made a quick trip to Costco for provisions before snuggling up with the kitties back at home.  Saturday morning the sun was out so we decided to make our way down to the Mt. Vernon Street Fair {along with the rest of the valley} where we perused the local talent, the fresh produce at the Co-op, and met up with Aunt Gretchen for a quick hello.  Afterwards we were starving so we continued our tour of Valley dive bars at The Corner Pub where I had a fabulous burger and finally got to see what all the fuss was about at this tiny, almost 100 year old local bar.

testing out the toys at costco

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Monday Flowers

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  I have lots of fun pics to share of our beautiful weekend up in the valley, but I'll start you with this one of the tulip fields, where we snuck off to on Saturday evening to avoid the tourists and take in the gorgeous settings.  Year after year, this view never gets old :)

Hope you had a great one!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Happy Easter Friday!

Happy Friday!!  What a crazy weather week we're having here in the PNW - snow in April?!?!  No thank you.  I'm ready for a weekend up north with the fam and hopefully for a turn in the weather soon.  I think this little tulip we walk by every day is hoping for some more sunshine too - how he's bloomed through the sidewalk is beyond me, but I'll try to be as optimistic as this little guy!

Cheers to the weekend!

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower

I love a good Orange Chicken {this recipe is great if you're trying to stay away from that delicious Trader Joe's frozen variety} so in an effort to eat a bit less meat I decided to give this recipe for Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower a try instead.  It was super easy and quick to put together on a weeknight and the flavors really shine so that you hardly notice you're missing the meat.  If you're looking for a good meat-replacement meal, give this one a go!

Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 large {or 2 small} head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 eggs

1 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 tsp cornstarch

1 Tblsp sesame oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tblsp grated ginger

1/2 tsp chili flakes

1 cup fresh orange juice 

1 Tblsp orange zest

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 Tblsp rice vinegar

2 Tblsp honey

2 Tblsp toasted sesame seeds

Green onions & rice for serving

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Beat eggs in large bowl.  Add cauliflower and toss well to coat.  In separate bowl, add Panko.

3. Dredge cauliflower through Panko, covering fully.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 15 minutes, then switch oven to broil and broil until crisp, 2-3 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk together corn starch and 2 Tblsp water.

5. Heat large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes.  Cook 1-2 minutes.  Add orange juice, zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey.  Bring to boil, then whisk in cornstarch and cook until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and toss cauliflower with sauce.

6. Serve over rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.

Serves 4

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Coffee Walk

Sunday afternoon I was feeling antsy and since the sun was shining {and it wasn't pouring as the weather app had predicted} we decided to stretch our legs and go for a walk to grab some coffee.  We headed down one of my favorite streets on Queen Anne, stopping to admire the the yards and cute doggies and ended up at Cafe Hagen for some coffees and pastries.  After a walk back up the hill we made it home just in time for the rain to start, congratulating ourselves on awesome timing.  It was a nice break in the afternoon and reminded me that sometimes you just have to get outside to turn your mood around.

i love the lanterns in this yard

coffee partner in crime

essentials

xoxo,

stephanie marie

Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup

You know how partial I am to just about everything Half Baked Harvest posts so when I saw this recipe online for Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup that promised dinner on the table in 20 minutes, I knew I had to give it a try.  It's more of a risotto than a soup, thickening up the longer you keep cooking it, but the flavors of the pesto, cheese, and lemon come together so perfectly that I kept going back for more.  It really was quick and easy to make and a key weeknight meal to have on hand for those days when you just don't wanna do much.  Enjoy!

Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup

Ingredients

1 Tblsp olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

4-6 garlic cloves, smashed

Red pepper flakes

2 Tblsp salted butter

2 cups dry orzo pasta

6 cups low sodium chicken or veggie broth

1 can white beans

Salt & Pepper

1/2 bunch kale, finely shredded

1/2 cup basil pesto {I used store bought}

1/2 cup whole milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add shallot, garlic, and chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add butter then stir in orzo.  Cook until golden, 1-3 minutes.

2. Pour in broth and bring to boil.  Season with salt & pepper.  Stir in beans and kale and simmer 8-10 minutes until orzo is al dente, stirring often.  It will become very creamy.

3. Stir in pesto, milk, Parmesan, and lemon and cook another few minutes until warmed through.

3. Divide among bowls and top with additional Parmesan & black pepper if desired.

Note: if eating as leftovers, thin with more broth if desired - soup will thicken as it sits.

Serves 4-6

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,

stephanie marie