9/52: Winter Walks

It was a beautiful late winter weekend in Seattle.  Cold and windy, but blue skies for day!

We took two long walks through Lincoln Park and enjoyed epic views of the snow capped Olympic Mountains and the sunlight glistening off the Puget Sound.

Took some time to remember our gratitude and our journey on this planet and how fortunate we are.

Enjoy!

Stacy

Old Photo Friday: Happy Remembrance Birthday, Aunt Pat

WHO: Donald Y. Brady (Paternal Grandpa) and (Aunt) Pat Dahl
WHEN: Mid 1940's
WHERE: The woods of Oregon

Thinking of my much beloved Aunt Pat on what would have been her 97th birthday, February 25th.

Missing you and your stories!

Love,
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Avocado Cream

Last Tuesday was national pistachio day, one of my favorite nuts.

Pistachio trees are native to the Middle East and the small bush produces bunches of fruit, similar to grapes and the nut is the seed of that fruit.

Pistachios have more antioxidants per serving than green tea.  They are also an excellent source of fiber, copper and Vitamin B6.

This is a an easy chicken recipe and very unique especially with the avocado cream.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Avocado Cream

Ingredients:

Salad

1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled and finely ground

salt and pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup sweet onion, diced

1 head romaine lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite sized pieces

Dressing

1 teaspoon sweet onion, grated

1 large avocado, pitted and peeled

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix the nuts on a pie plate with salt and pepper.  Press the chicken into the nuts to form a coating.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and cook the chicken, 3 minutes per side.  Place breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until a thermometer reaches 160 and the juices run clear.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the diced onion.  Season with salt and pepper and cook the onion until browned.

To make the dressing; add grated onion, avocado, oil, lime juice and water in a blender and puree until smooth.

Divide lettuce among 4 plates.  Slice each chicken breast and arrange on top of the lettuce and top with cooked onion and dressing.

8/52: End of Month Mixed Bag and Oscar Party

Last Thursday night's train ride along the Puget Sound.  We finally hit the sound right around sunset and if we have a beautiful day like last Thursday, you can't beat the views.

I worked from home on Friday and treated myself to some flowers from Trader Joe's and all sorts of goodies for the weekend.  Brian and I walked through Lincoln Park on Saturday morning before the showers (mixed with now) arrived.

Saturday we explored the Madison Park neighborhood of Seattle, a place that I've always wanted to check out.  Shops, restaurants, pubs and a wine shop nestled right along Lake Washington.

Sunday was our Oscar Party!  

Did you see Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper?  They killed it!  Best part of the entire show.  We loved all the bright colored gowns.  Did everyone wear pink?  Julie Roberts looked amazing.  We loved Olivia Coleman's speech (what a shocker) and the guy that wore the tuxedo dress!?

Enjoy!
Stacy

7/52: Valentine's and Kasey Musgraves

I didn't get to spend Valentine's Day with my love, but Chick and I had a wonderful dinner and presents in Beaverton and Brian and I set out on an adventure Saturday the weekend after Valentine's Day (Thankfully all the snow had finally melted!)

Monday night was Kasey Musgraves in Portland and she was fabulous.  Soccer Mommy opened the show and they were also really great.

We had an amazing dinner at Swank before the show and although the food was mixed (some dishes were great and others just so so), we had a wonderful bottle of wine, our service was excellent and the restaurant itself had a great vibe.  We'd try it again, or head next door to Swine, their Bistro/Pub next door.

Enjoy!
Stacy

6/52: Epic Snow in Seattle

We had an Epic weekend snow event in Seattle the second weekend of February.

If you are going to get 9 inches of snow, let it start falling at noon on Friday!  I can't tell you how fun it was to lie on the couch with my laptop, watching the snow fall.

It continued snowing for almost 24 hours and we had the most amazing blue sky on Saturday afternoon and we managed to walk 6 blocks up to our local pub, which was packed!

Sunday afternoon it started snowing again and we got another 3 inches on top of the 7 inches that fell Friday/Saturday.

On Monday morning, Brian and I walked down to the bus stop and I was able to get down to the Amtrak Station and get to Portland before Seattle got yet another round of snow showers and another 2 inches.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Old Photo Friday: Happy Birthday, Kenny

WHO:  Ken Hanselman (my step-dad)
WHAT: Playing the bass guitar
WHEN: Late 1980's or early 1990's

Happy Birthday to my Step-Dad Kenny who celebrates a birthday on February 17, 2019.

Love you!

Stacy and Brian

Recipe of the Week: Pesto Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Today is National Fettuccine Alfredo Day! 

Traditionally fettuccine noodles are tossed with butter, cream and Parmesan cheese with vegetables, seafood or chicken added on top.

Although fettuccine with butter and Parmesan cheese was first mentioned in a fifteenth century cookbook, it wasn't until 1908 that fettuccine Alfredo was created by Alfredo Di Lelio who made it for his wife, Ines after she gave birth to their son and trying to get her appetite back.

The original dish was made of rich butter, three kinds of flour and Parmesan-Reggiano cheese.  In 1914, Di Lelio opened a restaurant under his first name and served the dish on his menu.

The dish became popular after Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford ate at the restaurant on multiple occasions during their honeymoon in 1927.  The international press heard the story and spread it around the world.  Within a year, the recipe for the dish appeared in American cookbooks.

Di Lelio sold is restaurant in 1943 and opened a new restaurant in Rome with his son.  It became the go-to place for Americans traveling abroad in the 1950's, and most came to sample the dish.  By the mid 1960's, it became a staple of Italian-American restaurants, but most could not recreated the dishes Italian butter, so heavy cream was used.  

Today the dish is still popular around the world and in Italy where it is often called Fettuccine al burro.

I love this dish with the added pesto and chicken.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Pesto Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

2 x chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon basil pesto

fettuccine pasta

3 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

Directions:

On a pre-heated grill, cook chicken breasts 5-6 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle.  Slice chicken into 1 inch pieces and place in a bowl.  Top with pesto and stir together.  Cover and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside to keep warm.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter then add garlic and cook garlic for 1 minute being careful not to burn. Stir in flour until smooth and cook mixture for 1 minute.  Slowly add broth, milk and cream, stirring constantly until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add pesto chicken to the cream sauce and the add cooked pasta.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Top with chopped basil and serve immediately.

5/52: Welcome February

We kicked off February with a girl's weekend in Portland with a Friday night crab feed, Bob Seger in Concert on Saturday night and then Super Bowl Sunday.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Ribollita

Despite one of the warmest winters (so far) on record in the Pacific NW, it still feels like soup weather to me (and it probably will until May).

Ribollita is "the" famous soup from Tuscany, France.  It's made from bread which forms a hearty base along with vegetables, cannellini beans, tomato, kale and onions.  It's name literally means, "re-boiled".

Like most Tuscan cuisine, the soup has peasant origins.  It was originally made by reheating the leftovers of minestrone or vegetable soup.  Some sources date the soup back to the Middle Ages when servants gathered up food soaked bread from kings and lords finished plates at banquets and used them in their own dinners.

This is a simple recipe that is very easy to make and is great for a crowd.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Simple Ribollita (Tuscan Bread Soup) 

Ingredients:

olive oil 

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

8 cloves of garlic, minced

28 oz can of diced tomatoes, well drained (reserve liquid)

14 oz while beans (cannellini)

1 small wedge of Parmesan with rind, divided

crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

2 bunches of kale, washed and torn into 2 inch pieces

1/2 loaf crust country bread (a day or two old), torn into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Directions:

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450F.

Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a medium dutch oven or heavy pot.  Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened but not browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Add tomatoes to vegetables and cook for 5-7 minutes, letting the mixture caramelize.  Next, add the beans, cheese rind, reserved tomato liquid, pepper flakes and salt and pepper.  Add 4 cups of water and bring to a simmer.

After simmering for 10 minutes, add kale in handfuls, stirring often and allowing it to wilt in between.

Add 1/3 of torn bread and cook, stirring occasionally, until coated and warmed through, about 5 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove from heat and add rest of bread on top of soup.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Transfer the pot to the oven and bake soup until bubbling and bread is golden brown on top (about 10-15 minutes).

Ladle soup in to bowls and drizzle with olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.

4/52: First 24 of 12

This year, I turn 50.

Let me say that again, so that perhaps it will soak in.

50!!!!!

For the entire year, I decided to celebrate each birth date (24th) by doing something fun and most importantly for me.  It might be a pedicure, it might be a dinner out or it might be going out for a movie and a slice of pizza.

January's first 24th coincided with my long weekend in Seattle as I worked remotely last week.  Thursday night was my train ride north followed by going to the new 13 coins located right at the Amtrak Train station in Seattle.

We spent the rest of the weekend enjoying the sunshine and some time at home for finishing books, decorating the house for Valentine's Day and long walks through Lincoln Park.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Old Photo Friday: Remembering Allen Lee

WHO: Allen and Ann Lee
WHERE: At the Elementary School where Ann was Secretary for over 30 years
WHEN: Mid 1990's

Brian texted me the other day that it was the 12th anniversary of his father's passing.  I couldn't hardly believe that 12 years had gone by.

Out of the three Lee boys, I see Brian more and more each day in his father's face and especially his eyes.

We miss you every day.

Stacy

Recipe of the Week: How to use Tahini

Tahini is a condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame.  It can be served by itself as a sauce or dressing or as a main ingredient in hummus and baba ghanoush.  Tahini is used in Mediterranean cooking as well as in Middle Eastern cooking and parts of North Africa.

The oldest mention of the word tahini was in a document written some 4000 years ago that describes a custom of serving the gods sesame wine.  It's also mentioned as an ingredient of hummas kasa translated from a 13th century Arabic cookbook.  In the United States, sesame tahini along with other raw nut butters has been available in health food stores since the 1940s.

It's an excellent source of calcium, amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids.  Because of high levels of protein, it's useful in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Having always loved the tart and sour taste, I recently bought tahini for the first time to make a salad dressing.

This international dish features tahini included in a white bean spread accompanying flank steak and plenty of vegetables.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Red Wine Grilled Flank Steak with Mixed Vegetables and White Bean Skordilia*

Ingredients:

Steak

3 cups dry red wine

4 small springs fresh rosemary

4 springs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 (2 pound) flank or skirt steak

salt and pepper

Vegetables

2 large ears fresh corn, husked and cut crosswise into 4 pieces

1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick rounds

1 large sweet yellow onion, cut into 3/4 inch wedges

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1 large zucchini, cut into 1 inch thick rounds

12 asparagus spears, ends trimmed

olive oil

salt and pepper

Finely chopped parsley or chives (or both)

White Bean Skordilia

2 cups cooked white beans, plus cooking liquid, reserved

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Pita bread

Directions:

For the steak: Place the wine, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, onion, garlic and olive oil in a large shallow baking dish and stir to combine.  Add steaks and turn to coat both sides.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. 

Heat grill, remove steaks from marinade, season both sides with salt and pepper and grill 6-8 minutes on each side.  Let sit 5 minutes and slice against the grain.

For Vegetables:  Brush the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill all the vegetables until just cooked through.  Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with herbs.

For the Skordilia:  Place the beans, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor and process until the beans are coarsely chopped.  Add tahini and oil and process until smooth.  Add cooking liquid if too thick.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in a bowl and fold in parsley and mint.

For the Pita: Brush with olive oil and grill on both sides until lightly golden brown.  Cut into wedges

* a skordalia in Greek cooking refers to a thick puree sauce or dip traditionally combining garlic and emulsified with olive oil and vinegar

3/52: Middle of January

Just a few pictures from the weekend.  Saturday was an adventure to a sports bar to watch the Duke/Virginia basketball game.

Since we are not drinking and trying to eat healthy, it was challenging, but we persisted.  It's amazing how satisfying a club soda with a splash of pineapple juice is!  Just a hair under 6 miles walking this weekend and 2.2 pound lighter makes it all worth it.

The weekend went by in a blur and I am already looking forward to my remote Friday.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Curry Chicken in a hurry

Last Saturday was Curried Chicken Day, which is a popular dish not only in Asia, the UK and the Caribbean, but also in our home.  I make at least three variations of curried chicken (including a cold salad) and each one is a little different.

The word "curry" is an anglicized version of the Tamil word "kari" which means "stir-fried".  A typical curry from the Indian subcontinent consists of chicken stewed in a onion and tomato based sauce, flavored with garlic, ginger, chili peppers and tomato puree along with a variety of spices including turmeric, cumin and cinnamon.  Outside of South Asia, chicken curry is often make with a pre-made spice mixture known as curry powder.

Curry in North America dates back to the early 1800's, when a British sea captain stationed in Bengal, India shared the recipe for a dish with some friends in the shipping port of Savannah, Georgia.  In 1940, in Warm Springs, Georgia the dish was served under the name Country Captain to Franklin Roosevelt and to General George S. Patton.

This particular recipe is a go-to dish in our house, because it can be made in minutes, but tastes like it's been cooking all day.  

Enjoy!
Stacy

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine rice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 cups shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent.

Sprinkle onion with curry powder and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add the yogurt and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes (depending on desired thickness you may need to thin with 1 tablespoon of water or broth or add more cream).  

Season with salt and pepper and then add the tomatoes.  Stir to combine and heat all ingredients, about 3-5 minutes.  Finally, add the chicken and warm through, about 2 minutes.

Divide the rice and the curry into individual bowls and sprinkle with cilantro.

2/52: Relaxing January Weekend

Heading into last weekend with so much energy, drive and momentum.

Rode the train for the first time in 2019 on a beautiful winter afternoon with a great book and my new Commit 2019 Journal.

Lots of energy for walks through Lincoln Park and time to prepare great meals.

Relaxed with a 50 minute massage on Saturday and a couple of power naps.

This weekend physically and mentally prepared me for the challenges of the new week ahead!

Enjoy!
Stacy