Category:

Foodie Friday

jeans // tee and similar for $15 // blazer // slippers and similar // earrings // belt // cheese board

This time of year I love to get into the kitchen and try something new. So, I decided I’d challenge myself to making my first charcuterie board. Charcuterie is basically a fancy word for a cheese board, but all the same, I made my first one and wanted to share how it turned out! I recommend starting out by choosing five base foods. These can be cheeses, fruits, nuts, cured meats – whatever you prefer. Then think about the spreads and crackers you might want to add. I have to say, my combination turned out pretty spectacular, so if you’d like to copy it exactly, here’s what I used:

+ Purple grapes

+ Blackberries

+ Marcona Almonds – I like the ones with rosemary

+ Blue Cheese – it’s yummy and if you’re not a fan, at least its pretty!

+ Brie

+ Herbed Goat Cheese

+ Fig Crackers (any square crackers work here)

+ Rosemary for decor

And there you have it! Enjoy!

linen dress // sunglasses // bucket bag

 

I’m on a pumpkin bread kick. If baby wants it, baby gets it, right? I found a recipe that is super easy, makes moist bread, and my kids love it. Funny tip, if you want to sleep in tomorrow, make this tonight, cut it up, lay out paper plates and tell your kids to enjoy the pumpkin bread downstairs and give you 30 more minutes of sleep in the morning. It worked for me this morning.  Phew! Note: I like to substitute spelt flour for all purpose flour since it has fiber and protein and no one in my house is gluten free. I’ve been told, this recipe substitutes gluten free flour nicely. How cute is this dress?

Pumpkin Bread adapted from here

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
  3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Do you like when I share recipes? Do you want to see more? Let me know. Your comment short or long is really helpful as I plan future content!

 

Thank you,

xx

Shalice

Those who know we well know I LOVE salad like a crazy person. It’s true. So naturally I have at least 3 salad dressing recipes that will have you eating so much lettuce you’ll make Peter Rabbit jealous. Just saying.

Also, if you’re looking for a salad dressing to dress up broccoli or broccolini for your kids or hubby, try these first. My kids love the balsamic dressing. It stays a week in the jar but we usually use a full recipe so I always make it fresh.

Without further adieu, here’s my top 3 on major rotation, and yes my kids are FANS!

Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe can be doubled)

Mince 2 cloves of garlic and add the following ingredients in a small jar with lid:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, I use OLIVEDA

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

Shake vigorously and serve. Store in fridge up to a week.

Oriental Dressing ( from my Mother-in-Law)

4 T sugar

1 t salt

2 t. soy sauce

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 T white vinegar

Combine in a lidded jar and shake well.

Lemon Dijon – sounds funky but so fresh and yummy!

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic.

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar.

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1/2 cup good olive oil.

I also like this simple version: Lemon Dijon

fresh squeezed lemon //  dijon // olive oil // salt

There you have it, you can bookmark this post and share with your friends. Hope you enjoy, Let me know your favorite dressing in the comments!

bag // top // jeans // I also included some favorite home goods below!

Since cookies have fueled progress, innovation, and overall societal happiness since the early 1900’s, it only seems apt that today’s Foodie Friday is about this ubiquitous dessert. And since cookies should be enjoyed by one and all, I’m including a GF option. You’re welcome.

COWBOY COOKIES*
This cookie is unbeatable and unstoppable. No matter how many chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve tried, this is the one everybody always begs for. They taste like dough, with a little crisp on the outside. Ambrosia, guys, ambrosia. But don’t overcook these! They are best only just cooked and cooled, after you’ve tried them warm just make sure they’re okay. You know, quality control. My dad who likes these crispy, but I think there’s something wrong with his taste buds.
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c shortening
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 c quick oats
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
Turn on your oven to 350.
Mix the sugars and the shortening in your stand mixer (or by hand). Let it mix until it’s nice and light. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt all at once and mix until combined. Lastly, add your oats and chocolate chips.
Bake for 8 min, or until lightly brown on the edges and top just cooked.
GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL CHUNKERS
These are amazing and super simple. The only thing you have to remember is to freeze them for 20 min on the sheet pan before cooking or you’ll get flat cookies. However, if you make a batch and freeze the dough balls so that you can eat them every day instead of only once a month (this is the winner option, right?), you can skip this part and they can head straight for the oven.
3/4 c coconut oil or unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1 3/4 c sucanat or cane sugar
2 large eggs
1 c  (110 g) gluten-free oat flour
1/2 + 2 T (70 g) natural cocoa powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
2 c gluten-free rolled oats (not quick!)
1 1/4 c bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks (chopped from a bar)
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Melt coconut oil if using, and poor oil or softened butter into bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and add sugar. Mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs and mix on low speed; scrape down the bowl again. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix together until creamy and homogenous, 4-5 minutes.
In a small bowl, sift together the oat flour, cocoa, and baking soda. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Add the salt, oats and chocolate; mix just until combined.
Using a small ice-cream scoop or cookie scoop, measure heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough and transfer them to the lined baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 min (or if it’s easier, 30 min in the fridge).
Unwrap cookies and bake for 14-16 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
*Adapted from Sugar Rush / Tee Vintage :: Denim Shorts :: Similar :: 

 

Top STORETS :: denim shorts FRAME :: Similar shorts for $32 :: dinner plates POTTERY BARN :: Salad Dressing Shaker ::  photo’s by Tasha 

Balsamic Vinegrette, Oriental Dressing, and Mustard Vinegrette are some of my favorites to bring for summer picnics and lunch on the patio. My favorite type of lettuce is butter lettuce and I depending on what I have in the fridge, I usually add avocado, salted sunflower seeds, and black olives. What are your favorite salads? Scroll down for all my recipes!

Balsamic Vinegrette 

1 t minced garlic

3 T sugar or 1 T agave

3 T balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup canola oil or grapeseed oil

1 t salt

Instructions: mix, shake and chill before use.

Oriental Dressing

4 T sugar

1 t. salt

2 t. soy sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

6 T white vinegar

Combine in a lidded jar, and shake well.

Mustard Vinagrette from Bobby Flay

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon clover honey

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

whisk and enjoy!

 

 

Foodie Friday is back!! Like most things in life, something that started as a fun idea is now a full-blown ritual. As in, don’t even think about changing any thing up or bad things are going to happen. It’s pretty simple actually. After we drop off the kids at school, Brooks and I come back home and make smoothies. There it is. Quite honestly, I usually go through the mail and email while he begs and begs until I help him pull out all the ingredients. I literally put all the ingredients on the rug and then he sits there with the Vitamix and happily puts things in the mixer. I won’t say it’s all smooth sailing. Just today, while he was pulling out the spinach, he pulled out the glass jar of strawberry jam and it shattered. And mixers and children (well, adults too to be honest) don’t always go well together. So like I said, it’s not always smooth sailing, but it is worth it. He “cooks” his own food, and we both get yummy smoothies and fun memories.

Some of the Pros of cooking in the kitchen with your kids:

It’s fun! He’s learning and you’re both doing something fun together–it’s Quality Time!

You’re making memories

An opportunity to teach how to clean up

You get to stretch your patience muscle

Cons

Your patience muscle is getting stretched

Things will break, fall, and Legos are always involved. I don’t even know how, but it’s true

The mess (this almost deserves two bullet points, but I’ll leave it at one)

B’s Smoothie recipe

1 frozen banana

2 packets frozen acai bowl mix (we get ours from Costco)

1/2 cup – 3/4 cup  almond milk 

1 T chia seeds

1 handful of kale 

Blend in the Vitamix and enjoy chilled!

my cutoffs and a $55 version :: striped top :: similar under $100

Vitamix :: his sweater (on sale!) :: his similar  cutoffs  :: photo’s by Tasha

More denim cutoffs I’m loving here:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Foodie Friday

Making Dinner Look Complicated, the Easy Way

Dinner time in our house is all about making sure those little mouths are fed. We don’t usually spend a lot of time on presentation because there’s not much time to spend. But there’s a simple way to dress up dinner when you want to feel like a master chef on a weeknight: Pesto. A few tablespoons can turn baked chicken into Italian Chicken – top it with some tomato slices and you’ve got a gourmet meal on your hands, with about 5 minutes of prep.

That said, I like to make my own pesto to keep on hand for just such a culinary occasion.

Homemade Basil Pesto

What You’ll Need:

4 C Fresh Basil Leaves (about 3 bunches)

1/2 C Grapeseed Oil + a drizzle or two

1/3 C Pine Nuts

2 Garlic Cloves

1 t Salt

How You’ll Do It:

1 – Toast the pine nuts. To do this, put the nuts in a dry skillet (no oil here) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for about 3-5 minutes or until golden. Take them out of the pan and let them cool on a plate for a minute.

2- Put everything in a blender and blend until paste forms. You’ll want a spatula to push the basil down every so often.

3 – Store your pesto in a jar and drizzle a layer of oil on top. This keeps it from oxidizing and will help maintain that fresh green color. It’ll keep for about a week in the fridge or up to six months in the freezer

Foodie Friday

Breakfast Party of 9

I’m introducing a new addition to the blog, Foodie Fridays, to share a few fun recipes, tips and tricks for feeding a family of six that I’ve picked up over the years.

Today’s recipe comes from my sister. We recently stayed with her and her five kids in Chicago and between our families we had nine children under one roof. Nine. Hungry. Kiddos. How do you feed all those kids breakfast without losing your mind?

Amy’s Puffed Pancake

What I love about this one is that it’s something you can prep the night before, then just toss it in the oven in the morning and bask in the rave reviews.

What You’ll Need:

6 Eggs

1 C Flour (If you’re gluten free, I’d chose a flour blend that has already done the math on which GF flours combine to imitate the fluffy texture you get with wheat flour. I’m a fan of King Arthur, but comment if you have another favorite)

1 C Milk (can use almond milk)

1t Salt

1T Butter (to grease the dishes)

Toppings of your choice – we like agave, maple syrup, lemon curd, or powdered sugar

How You’ll Do It:

1 – Whisk the eggs, flour, milk, and salt together. If you’re prepping this the night before, cover your bowl and put it in the fridge until you’re read to bake.

2 – Preheat the oven to 425°

3- Melt the butter in two 9×13 pans

4 – Pour the mix into the pan and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. It will puff up and create some crazy wavy textures in the oven, then it will settle and flatten out once it cools. So if it looks a little wild, you’re doing it right.

5 – Serve with your favorite topping and enjoy the satisfied faces on all nine kids.

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