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Feliz Navidad with Christmas Nachos & Holiday Margaritas
We want to wish you a Merry Christmas with nachos and holiday margaritas! Last Friday I walked into the grocery store (QFC) to discover these Xochitl Red & Green Corn Chips. And like any other sane person, I immediately thought “Christmas Nachos”! Quickly followed by “with Holiday Margaritas.” Of course, I then texted Mallory. Three bags of chips later, Mallory and I separately brainstormed our Christmas nacho recipes. Mallory went the route of traditional Christmas-themed toppings (i.e. red and green) – diced bell pepper, salsa, jalapenos, tomatoes, and avocado with CHRISTMAS QUESO. This stuff is amazing! Mallory and I literally stood in front of the stove with a bag of…
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Celebrate the Holidays with a Snow Globe Cake
Do you have a friend or loved one with a December birthday that you would like to celebrate in a special way? Or perhaps you are looking for a fun holiday baking activity with your kids? We have a recommendation for you: make a snow globe cake! This baking project is a simple and fun with a definite WOW factor. Kids can help make the cake layers, spreading the frosting (if you are brave!), putting on the coconut snowflakes, and designing your snow globe scene. And we had time to make this cake because we, unlike our mother, buy our children’s’ gingerbread houses prebuilt instead of tracing, cutting out by…
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Holiday Cocktails
Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas are some delicious holiday cocktails… Its Friday and I think we all need a fun holiday cocktail to kick off this first weekend in December! While our December calendar looks very different this year with absolutely zero holiday parties, we are refusing to say “Bah Humbug!” Instead, we are finding ways to be more celebratory at home. If we cannot go to the holiday cocktails, lets bring them to us! One easy holiday cocktail you can try at home – a Poinsettia. Its a mimosa but instead of orange juice you combine prosecco or champagne with cranberry juice to taste. Pomegranate juice is…
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Holiday Book Recommendations
The pile of holiday books on our coffee table in the family room gets taller and more precarious each year. Okay, if I am being honest, its at least three tall, lopsided piles. When the holidays are over, I pack up the books along with all our holiday decorations and put them away until the following year. Sam and Emma love when the holiday books get unpacked – they read and pour over the pages for hours – treating them like old friends they haven’t seen in quite awhile. Admittedly, I buy too many books for Sam & Emma, holiday and otherwise. (Yes, I was that kid that brought a…
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MINI THANKSGIVING DESSERTS
Looking for Thanksgiving dessert ideas that are mini, easy, and COVID-friendly (i.e. single serve)? We have you covered. Mini pumpkin crème brûlée, mini apple tarts, mini pumpkin pies, mini pumpkin pie custards, oh my! And best of all, each recipe requires very few ingredients because, wow, I made the mistake of stopping at the grocery store on the way home from work yesterday to grab cold Corona beer that we “needed” to accompany our Taco Tuesday dinner. The COVID-grocery store line wrapped down the sidewalk and around the corner. And, yes, I still waited because Taco Tuesday… While easy and quick to make, these mini Thanksgiving desserts do require some…
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Thanksgiving Fried Rice with Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Remember when Friendsgiving was a thing?!?! For years, Ryan and I have attended an annual Friendsgiving hosted by dear friends. It was actually the site of one of our early dates. Ryan was daring enough to bring me to his college friends’ Friendsgiving (nothing like trial by fire for this one) and I remember agonizing over what to wear. Ha! Remember when our choices consisted of something other than leisurewear, leisurewear or leisurewear? Over the years the Friendsgiving event, aptly named “Volksgiving,” has morphed from a traditional turkey dinner to a Thanksgiving bite-size appetizer competition. Attendees vote on the best Thanksgiving-themed appetizer of the night. For the first couple years,…
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Turkey Potpie Soup and Thanksgiving Alternatives
Unfortunately with COVID-19 numbers skyrocketing, we all need to get creative this year on how we celebrate Thanksgiving safely. Our plan is to share a meal and give thanks outdoors at our parents’ home with the fireplace crackling and heaters running. Trying to keep a traditional turkey dinner warm outside and served COVID-safe, however, proved just too difficult. So, instead, we are having turkey soup (that can be kept warm in a slow cooker). And, because nobody wants to miss out on Thanksgiving leftovers, we are picking up ready-made Thanksgiving dinner from Delille Cellars that we can take home with us to enjoy the following day. Last year, the Seattle…
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Nike Everything!
Given the choice, Sam and Emma would only wear Nike, all day and everyday! Consequently, Joe only wants to wear Nike too. And I am sure Jack is not far behind. Sorry Mallory! We are not sure how or why Sam and Emma became so Nike-obsessed. I was one of those obnoxious mothers that really did not let their kids watch any television and they don’t have any older siblings, so where did they even learn about Nike?!?! But, when all else fails, blame your partner….the one exception to my television rule was football games and one of Sam and Emma’s favorite things to do is to watch football with…
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Our Fall Instant Pot Recipes on Repeat
Anyone else needing comfort food today after watching last night’s (and this morning’s) election results roll in? We have two Instant Pot recipes for you that Mallory and I have had on repeat this fall: Beef & Wheat Berry Soup and Chicken & Rice. These recipes are the very definition of comfort food! Are you Team Instant Pot or Team Slow Cooker? I am a diehard member of the Slow Cooker Fan Club. The amount of time it takes my Instant Pot to pressurize drives me bananas. My expectations are very high for an appliance that includes the words “Instant” in its name and claims to fully cook food in…
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Hello GOURD-Geous!
Its Monday and just in case you are looking for a little dinner menu inspiration for the upcoming week, we have two fall-inspired squash recipe ideas for you to try: Stuffed Acorn Squash and Spaghetti Squash Chicken Pad Thai. Did you know that squash is technically a fruit because it contains seeds and comes from the flowering part of plants? Definitely did not learn that fun fact in law school! Or that there are over 100 different types of squash? Apparently we are really slacking in only offering recipes for two varietals. The Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is an amalgamation of a few different recipes I found on the internet.…
