February 26, 2016

I LOVE LISTS

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

All I ever want in a breakfast.
Started a pinterest board for my Spring Capsule Wardrobe!
Hello, gorgeous banana bread.
Your gifs hypnotize me.
Oh, Andrea. It’s beautiful.
Gross Kitchen Habits….you’re probably guilty of
This makes me want to paint.
One of my favorite Mitch Hedberg jokes.
Paint Water/Not Paint Water
Understanding Cravings. I really needed to read this this week.
Louis C.K.’s 70% Rule to Avoid Decision Paralysis
Brilliantly witty comic strips.
These brownies look bonkers.
Kids reads to dogs. This is so cute.
Omg #9
I love looking at pictures like this
All 20 Breakfast items at McDonald’s Ranked.
I’d say my parents were pretty strict. I’m grateful for it though.
Amanda recreated one of my favorite breakfasts.
Anagrams that will make you laugh & think.
Rosa Parks’ featherweight peanut butter pancakes look light & fluffy

Recipes from the archives for your weekend adventures:

Books to Inspire:

Things that caught my eye:

recipes

February 24, 2016

Citrus Smoothie Bowls

Today’s recipe: Citrus Smoothie Bowls

As a parent, I’ve realized that it’s all in how you deliver information. Every child/person has a different way of getting motivated to do something. In my house growing up, my mom never really had to nudge me to work in the kitchen. I was always there. I wanted to be a part of it…from the grocery shopping, licking the beaters, setting the table, and dish drying. I loved the pulse of the kitchen. It was/is my science lab. Now that I think about it, perhaps I loved it because it was a place in the house where my brothers stayed away.

Celebrate citrus season with a Citrus Smoothie Bowl! It's packed with Vitamin C. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com

Cooper and I were loafing on the couch a few weeks ago, eating popcorn and watching the kid’s version of Chopped on the Food Network. He’s not really into cooking as I was when I was young, but something told me that if he saw kids doing things that I do in the kitchen, he might feel more empowered/curious. He soaked it all up like a sponge.

The next day when he asked for a snack, I suggested he fix himself one. Five minutes later I came into the kitchen and saw him standing there with a turkey sandwich (bread grilled on the panini press!) cut in half with lettuce tucked inside and a few drizzles of mustard. Eureka. This was the way to deliver the information. Kids competition cooking shows. At least, that’s how my son is wired.

This Citrus Smoothie Bowl was one of our concoctions. I added some oats to thicken it up a bit. I usually avoid smoothies because they never fill me up, but this one does. The oranges, honey, yogurt, and frozen bananas are blended together for a smoothie (bowl) that tastes like an orange creamsicle.

recipes

February 22, 2016

Pigs in Blankets

The name…Pigs in Blankets. I dunno, it’s kind of a turn off, right? Can we come up with another way of saying fancy sausages wrapped in golden puffed pastry with poppy seeds instead of buns? I found this recipe on Martha Stewart and scaled it back to make it a meal instead of an appetizer. Let’s make it dinner or let’s make some and freeze it for dinner for some other night.

The funny thing is…. I made these with chicken sausage. So they’re not really pigs in blankets are they? They’re like chicken with duvet covers. I don’t know where I am going with that… I’ve had a few glasses of wine and my parents came over for dinner so my judgement is a little off.

What I do know is that people go nuts for pigs in blankets. Chicken in duvet covers…. whatever. As a person in their mid 30s with a kid, I’ve been to many parties that include pigs in blankets (for the kids!) and the adults end up eating them all (because they’re awesome). Just a little puff pastry and some oven time and you’re good to go. We can totally do this on a Monday night. Let’s face it, it’s so much easier than laundry and everybody wins.

my everyday life, Photography

February 21, 2016

My Everyday Life : Week 7

Here’s what My Everyday Life Week 7 looked like:

We washed the car on Valentine’s Day. Wet chalk is my favorite.

My Everyday Life Week 7 on Shutterbean.com

Cooper signed his card for Casey with his name and mine. I like his Y.

To Us. Swoon!

I made my boys a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting.

We ate it for breakfast.

A cheesy valentine for my valentine.

Getting out of the car at Whole Foods.

We took him on a driving adventure. Doesn’t he look giant?

February 19, 2016

I love lists Friday

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

I always thought that everyone should work retail at least one in their lives.
Teachers’ extra credit questions.
Cooper and I are going to do this painting class soon.
A clairvoyant’s take on Making a Murderer
I want to add these to our weekly meal rotation. Now if only Cooper liked tomatoes..
Welcome to the world, Cleo Jane! Your parents are stellar.
This pleases me greatly.
What Romance Means After 10 Years of Marriage.
Note to Self
We watched The Martian and I then have a major potato craving. Go figure.
100% NO
Beautiful/sooooooooooo creepy.
You can make your own dry shampoo. I’d probably make a gigantic mess in the process.
Black & White PIE. Yes yes YES.
Chicken Pot Pie Pizza, BLT Flabread, and Pizza Cake!!
One of my favorite cookies from childhood.
The last mean tweet is rather witty!
Such a cute DIY Air Plant Pots
I went downhill after the blues. Dangit!
Millennials + Food
I agree with a lot of these.

recipes

February 17, 2016

Sausage Kale French Bread Pizza

Thank you so much for all of your kind comments about my cat, Pinot. Your words mean so much to me! Things have been a little weird around my house. I’m used to having a little buddy that hangs around with me while I’m cooking in the kitchen. I didn’t realize how many times a day we checked in with each other until she was gone. It’s pretty crazy how animals become so apart of your everyday routine, you know? I keep looking for her face at the sliding glass door to see if I need to let her in. Going to sleep at night has been a little weird too, since she used to sleep on my pillow and I’d fall asleep to the sound of her purring. The only thing that’s helping me right now is keeping busy. I think I’ve cleaned my kitchen at least 25 times since this weekend. So, anyways THANK YOU. I really appreciate your love and support.

Yesterday I made this Sausage Kale French Bread Pizza situation because I felt like cleaning the kitchen ANOTHER time. Tuesday was a major errand running day (with Cooper! who had school off! Ahhh!) and instead of making another pit stop to pick up individual french bread rolls (we already went to the Post Office/Oil Change & Trader Joe’s), I decided to use a whole batard I picked up at the store. Yeah buddy, we went BIG on this recipe. Who says that french bread pizza needs to be on individual rolls?

We brown sausage and then sauté kale. We add red pepper flakes on and a ton of garlic to the mixture. We spread marinara all over our batard then top with the sausage kale mixture and a ton of cheese. Then we get this crunchy/crispy/doughy french bread pizza that’s ridiculously meaty/hearty yet full of kale! Next time I am going to freeze one of the halves and just bake off one because then I won’t eat it a lllllllllllllllll and then future me will be like, “You’re so smart and thoughtful, Tracy from the past.” I will also make a section just for Cooper who picked EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF KALE off of his pieces. Kids, man.

my everyday life, Photography

February 14, 2016

My Everyday Life: Week 6

Here’s what My Everyday Life Week 6 looked like:

We said goodbye to Pinot on Friday night. My heart broke.

My Everyday Life Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

I see signs of cats everywhere now. I almost cried when we were walking past the pet section at Target today.

This was the last picture I took of her… She had heart failure. We had two more weeks with her than we expected. She was so tough. I loved her with all of my heart and I’d give anything to hold her right now

“THIS IS MY FAVORITE PLACE!!!!!!”

We adventure in the thicket.

Lettuce party.

Casey was trying to show Cooper how to draw a wine glass on our driveway.

Proof that there’s beauty in the every day.

I only went for a salad for lunch….and then my basket somehow managed to fill up.

Story of my life.

It wasn’t me.

Spring is springing.

Waiting.

I volunteered at school this week.

We made stained glass windows out of wax paper & tissue paper.

I loved the color combinations the kids came up with.

This one was particularly good.

Victoria hosted a Galentine’s Frangelico Party in SF this week.

She sure knows how to throw a party.

Loved this little corner.

Dranks.

Frangelico tiramisu!

The funny thing is… I went to the event on the wrong day… because I messed up my calendar. So I was in the city two nights in a row. #brainfart #ugh

I fried plantains for the first time ever this week!

A tofu shoot for One Potato.

I bought Valentines from the store and I realized we didn’t have enough….

So we made our own.

And they reminded me of the shirts my dad wears. So I put one up to my dad’s heart.

Totally like his shirt, huh?

I can’t wait for coffee tomorrow morning.

Here comes trouble.

What I’ve been having for breakfast all week.

Friday morning detour.

Alcatraz buried in fog.

I had to stop.

Squishy snuggle face.

I had an awesome visit with my friend Helen Jane this week. So awesome that my phone was away and the only picture I took that day was a picture of the pillows she gave me. Thank you HJH. Love your face! Love your contest entering spirit.