May 20, 2020

Frosted Snickerdoodle Bars

Do you know what’s shocking? I have yet to make banana bread during this quarantine situation. Turns out that when Cooper is at home, he eats more bananas so I never have any leftovers. I have a huge stack of new cookbooks to work my way through and I’ve decided that my family needed a sweet treat this week. We could all use a pick-me-up! Enter, these Frosted Snickerdoodle Bars from my friend Shauna Sever’s latest cookbook, Midwest Made. They brought a lot of joy to our household this week.

I got an, “MMMMM, Mom! These are so good, THANK YOU!”

And that’s all I was looking for after countless weeks of hearing my child complain about dinners I make that he doesn’t want to try/eat. These bars are delicious. I’m planning on stashing a few in our freezer. I love frozen cake with frosting. Better yet, maybe they’ll find their way into ice cream. YUM.

LISTS

May 18, 2020

Intentions for the Week

Intentions for the Week – Week 21 of 2020

It’s MONDAY, friends!

Another week under house arrest. OOOOF. How are you holding up? This weekend we did a lot of stuff around the house. We weed whacked, we gardened, we watched Aladdin. We tried to take it easy we also probably ate too much. I need to get back on track with better eating. Join me in writing in a food journal soon? I am thinking June is a good time to reset. My emotions and stress have been all over the place and it’s time to get better/healthier eating habits back on the table. I swear it’s all the bread baking…

Cooper’s school ends in a few weeks and I am trying not to freak out about the Summer. I’m just trying to remember to take things one day at a time. Let me see if I can map out a structure in my week to make sense of this time! Here are my Intentions for the Week:

my everyday life, Photography

May 17, 2020

My Everyday Life: Week 20

Here’s what this past week looked like – My Everyday Life Week 20

One of my high points this week was taking a drive up to Yountville to pick up dinner at Ad Hoc.

Their emails come to me every morning and I fawn over their menus. Whenever it says FRIED CHICKEN, I’m in!

We picked up some dinner for one of my favorite families- THE HEARNS who are moving to Wisconsin and I am so very sad. Let me tell you that it is HARD TO NOT HUG YOUR FRIENDS BECAUSE YOU LOVE THEM AND YOU WON’T GET TO HUG THEM FOR A WHILE AND THEY ARE MOVING OUT OF STATE. I can’t wait to visit them though.

My brain was happy we were road tripping. I slept so well that night.

Maybe it was because I was emotionally exhausted or maybe my brain was full of beauty from the car window?

I will miss you Helen Jane!!

I let this rose sit on top of this cake for days before I let Cooper have it.

I told him I needed it to take a picture.

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES HE ASKED ME IF HE COULD EAT THAT ROSE?

A LOT.

We got a cake by delivery from Miette. They now ship!

It was a perfect Mother’s Day treat that we picked on for a few days at my house!

LISTS

May 15, 2020

I LOVE LISTS

Stories about people who are in scenic limbo.
My inner age is 54
My personality type is a BUILDER.
Things that people do that no one talks about.
I need to try this closing a cereal box hack!
I must show this to Cooper!
If my family liked beans I’d make pizza beans all the time.
Will my only child be lonely during the pandemic?
The future of outdoor dining?
Comfort food reminder: Bowls of Goodness
Whoaaaa. Look at this building.
You should definitely learn your grandma’s recipe rn.
I’m glad my grandma taught me how to make ravioli.
Grocery bills are rising.
Quarantine fatigue is real.
Self-care is not enough for mothers who are burnt out.
We enjoyed watching an Office reunion this week.
Moms doing Mom things. I miss my Mom.
Learn how to draw Totoro!
My quarantine outfit: leopard pants, black v-neck, birks
Weekend reading: Everything is Under Control

Also, if you’re looking to do something productive with your time, take some Skillshare classes. It has definitely helped me grow my creative practice. Here are two months of FREE premium membership when you sign up.

recipes

May 13, 2020

Broccoli Beef

On about day 40 of sheltering in place, I lost my cooking mojo. I found myself in a major food rut. I didn’t want to clean anymore and my back hurt. I got caught up in making bread and OH MY GOD THAT GETS MESSY. When I’m in a food rut, making a new recipe can usually pull me out of the funk. But I didn’t know how to get groceries regularly and panicked about having enough food (that my family would like). So we all ate a lot of bread until I could find a good way to get food during this pandemic. My friend Gaby’s new cookbook – Eat What You Want arrived last week (around day 55 of sheltering in place) and while I was flipping through I spotted the Broccoli Beef recipe. Oooooh! I had a head of broccoli to use up and some flank steak in the freezer!

Having all of the ingredients to make something new during this time is a special kind of magic.

(look how many recipes I’ve marked to try in this cookbook! It’s my kinda food!)

This Broccoli Beef recipe fits the bill for everyone.

I love broccoli.

My boys love meat.

If we combine it with rice, we have a full meal.

IN A BOWL.

Do you know how much I love eating things in bowls?

Cooper didn’t complain about the onions (YAY), Casey had seconds and we saved a portion for me to use in fried rice the following day. The sauce is gingery and slightly sweet. I love how the onions melt in the dish. It really did taste like we ordered takeout! Welcome to the meal rotation, Broccoli Beef. The Benjamin Family is happy to have you cuz WE ALL EAT BROCCOLI AND THAT IS GREAT.

LISTS

May 11, 2020

Intentions for the Week

Intentions for the Week – Week 20 of 2020

Happy Monday!

I slept in for the first time in forever this weekend. I spent time visiting with friends through Facetime and over phone calls. We even had a social distancing cocktail hour with my neighbors in our driveway. So many social dates all while sheltering in place. We’re making it work! We worked in the garden. Cucumbers were put into the planter beds. I grew them from seed! I made a few arrangements of succulents in the yard and thought about my Mom while I worked in my childhood garden. Mother’s Day this year was quiet and that is exactly what I wanted. Let’s take a moment and write down our Intentions for the Week, shall we? It’s a good way to check-in with yourself. Here is mine!