June 17, 2016

I love lists

Welcome to I Love Lists! Let’s surf the internet together:

For when you’re having a bad day. Thanks HJH.
Ahhh there was a FNL reunion!
Can Seattle keep its soul?
Dresses over pants. Discuss.
Online class that looks cool- Indigo Dye Class
Very clever food photos
Pantone color names vs. what color they actually look like
My new sandals
If you want to eat healthier….
OMFG yes.
This is good for me + my hikes!
Maybe I’ll make a candle or two for outside this summer.
This is 2016.
I’d like to have a moment in Joshua Tree sometime.
Cooper and I have to make homemade pocky this summer!
I didn’t really know what ghosting was. I haven’t dated in 17 years.
We’re all about dramatic comedies in my household.
A list of really good parenting hacks that are borderline genius.
5 ways to add more play into your work + life
Stray Cats of Tokyo
Made these turkey burgers a few weeks ago and loved them.
Sushi donuts are a thing now. Not mad at it.

Things that caught my eye:

All of this fabric
This would be a fun summer project
A tool roll
How all of this jewelry is styled. Layer love!

Summer Reads:

I Feel Bad About My Neck (just finished this!)
Better than Before (still working on this)
The Creative Habit
Do the Work
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

recipes

June 13, 2016

Chilaquiles

This is the first time I’ve made chilaquiles at home and I’m kinda kicking myself for not doing it sooner. My college roommate, Riley introduced me to them and I’ve been ordering them FOR YEARS whenever we go out to breakfast but it never really dawned on me to look up how they were made and make them for myself. Ummm. It’s so easy. Like…ridiculously easy.

If you ever have some leftover corn tortillas, this is a quick and easy way to use them up. Also good if you have some extra enchilada sauce hanging about.

This is JUST THE BEGINNING. I hope to make chilaquiles with mushrooms and roasted zucchini next and maybe with a pumpkin situation in the fall. Let the games begin!

my everyday life, Photography

June 11, 2016

My Everyday Life: Week 23

Here’s what My Everyday Life Week 23 looked like:

My second grader!!

Magic hour.

An arrangement I made on a tablecloth I dyed. You can see that I used the bleach method in all of the white parts.

SO MUCH FUN.

A trip to the nursery for one of my creative breaks.

They’re so graphic.

Love these colors.

Organizing.

Visiting babies.

Squeezing babies.

To the end and back.

KITCHEN CAT loves the sun.

My side of the bed.

June 10, 2016

I love lists

Welcome to I Love Lists Friday! Let’s surf the net together-

The History of Pho.
For the lip syncing enthusiast
Love seeing what are people’s favorite makeups are
What’s in your mom’s bag? Oh gosh… you should see mine
Ways to Trick Out your Backyard this Summer
What a dreamy meal
Shot on iPhone
A Sazerac Sno-Cone!
What an Everest Climber Eats (I love stuff like this)
Just remember. It could always be worse.
Recipe goals: Nashville Baked Chicken + Cash Money Millionaire Bars
Hello dreamy vacation home.
Work Life Balance
Things nobody tells you about freelancing
For my cat loving friends
Annoying little things
Don’t follow your passion
Tattoos with hidden meanings
This makes me happy that I live in Northern California.
What to do if your phone screen cracks. Hehe
This is something I would do.

Things that caught my eye….

This cuff
The simplicity of this necklace
A wall hanging for over our bed
A fish inside a jellyfish

I Love Popsicles:

recipes

June 8, 2016

Muffuletta Pizza

Let’s fire up the grill and make pizza! Today I’m showing you how to throw together a tasty Muffuletta Pizza for your outdoor grilling parties with the help of Columbus Craft Meat.

What’s a muffuletta? Well, it’s a an amazing Italian sandwich filled with different kinds of cured meats, picked vegetables, olives, mozzarella & provolone.

But wait…this is PIZZA, Tracy.

I know, I know.

I’ve borrowed the flavor profile of a muffaletta and turned it into a pizza LOADED with toppings.

The nice thing about that is that it’s the only way I can stop eating pizza after two slices. The toppings on this pizza will definitely fill you up. Whereas, if I was eating a simple cheese pizza I wouldn’t stop until after 6 slices…and then I’d make room for more!

Inspiration, recipes

June 6, 2016

Simple Summer Recipes

This is the time of year when I strive for simplicity in our meals. Days are longer and we spend so much time outside, so I the last thing I want to do is hang out in a hot stuffy kitchen. I’m all about minimum effort, early happy hours and spontaneous hangouts. Meals are eaten outside. Kids are hosed off if they’re a little too messy and bedtimes get pushed further and further back. It’s cool. There’s no school tomorrow. Life is slower and things are casual and more relaxed. I’d thought I’d dip into the archives to get my head in the zone for Summer. Cooper gets out on Friday and I am counting the hours/minutes/seconds for when I don’t have to make lunch anymore and hustle like a crazy woman in the mornings.

Let’s get pumped up for Summer by thinking about what we’re going to EAT.

Here’s a compilation of my favorite Simple Summer Recipes:

Grilled Chicken with Tomato Parsley Salad–

One of my go-to meals in the summer! I usually grill some bread and then end up putting it all into a sandwich.

Baked Corn & Tomato Risotto

Let the oven do all of the work and enjoy summer goodness.

Orange Soy Glazed Ribs

Summer isn’t summer without ribs. At least in my family!

Grilled Shrimp & Pineapple Skewers

Serve these skewers over rice or make tacos out of them.

Sambal Chicken Skewers

One of my all time favorites. I’m a sucker for bbq chicken.

Greek Lamb Sliders

You’re going to love the yogurt sauce.

Toast 12 Ways

Because you can totally have an open faced sandwich for dinner during the SUMMER.

YOU ARE A GROWN UP. You don’t even have have to wear pants while you’re doing so.

Corn Tomato Shishito Pizza

We finish this pizza with a squeeze of lime and it pushes it over the edge of deliciousness.

Tomato Watermelon Salad

One of my favorites! I love the dressing and the cashew addition.

Grilled Greek Panzanella Salad

Bread + salad = the best of both worlds.

Spicy Corn Avocado Salad

Looking at this makes me want to put it in a sandwich….with a hunk of cheese in there for good measure.

Thai Chopped Salad with Tofu

Bake tofu at night when it’s cooler and then pack up your lunch for the next day. So much crunch and flavor in this one.

Asian Salmon Noodle Salad

New favorite! It’s the saucy noodles that get me.

Green Beans with Ginger & Lime

Sometimes I eat nothing but vegetables for dinner. This would be why.

Nectarine Caprese Salad

Tomatoes AND Nectarines. Makes it sweet/savory/creamy/dang good.

Arnold Palmer Popsicles

Is there anything better than iced tea and lemonade? Oh when it’s put in popsicle form! Next level!

Strawberry Pimm’s Sorbet

Sorbet is so simple to make. Shake things up in your sorbet game with a little Pimm’s.

Citrus Smoothie Bowls

My ideal dinner when it’s hot as a mofo outside.

Moscow Mule Popsicles

You know how people make ice cubes out of coffee so they don’t dillute the iced coffee? Imagine how you could use one of these popsicles to keep your moscow mule cold!

Cucumber Watermelon Popsicles

Think about dipping one of these in some vodka…or gin!

Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

This was such a fun/gratifying recipe I made a few years ago. I think 2016 could be the year of the ice cream sandwich.

Raspberry Mango Ice Cream Cake

2015 was definitely the year of the ice cream cake. Maybe I’ll make more this summer in different shapes.

Chocolate Pecan Cake

Don’t you just love sheet pan cakes? They’re so easy to frost. This one has the perfect amount of pecans on top! Holla!

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The time of year when zucchini goes NUTS. Maybe your neighbor gave you some of their zucchini haul? Repay them with this cake.

Coconut Blondies

Chewy…delicious…portable…non melting winners.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Another summer favorite that turns into a kickass breakfast.

Chocolate Cake with Berries & Cream

Simple is best!

my everyday life, Photography

June 4, 2016

My Everyday Life: Week 22

Here’s what My Everyday Life: Week 22 looked like:

This one is titled “Social Anxiety.”

Yes. Thank you.

Farmer’s market visit.

Super food salad.

I’m a weirdo who takes pictures of my husband’s beard hair so he can see how gray he is.

Little league championships. WE WON. I’m sandwiched in between my parents. I’m so grateful that they came to so many of Cooper’s games.

UP.

The moment when I realized that my kid has big boy feet and he’s like totally not a little kid anymore 🙁

Happy birthday, John.

Another slice of life.

Their love makes me so happy. Cooper tells me ALLLLLLL the time how cute Ella is and I love it. I know, buddy. SHE IS ADORABLE AND MOMMY CAN’T EVEN HANDLE IT SOMETIMES.