Archives for July 2015

BLT Sliders.

July 22, 2015 / By Courtney / 2 Comments

As you’ve probably figured out, baseball is kind of a big thing around here in July. And by big thing, I mean it controls our lives. I finally get my kitchen back only to have five nights IN A ROW for three weeks of being gone at dinner time.

My inner cook was dying a slow death. No. more. concession. food.

And then I thought hey, I can’t be home for dinner but there is no reason I can’t bring dinner to the ball field. And share with friends! Wonderful plan.

I needed something easy to transport. And easy to eat. And that’s when classic BLTs hit me: is there a better time to eat a tomato than in the dead of July?

No, there isn’t. And you can finally use up some of that basil that is overtaking your patio. Mix it up with the mayo and add a splash of fresh lemon juice. It’s delicious and complements the rest of the sandwich perfectly.

Get these BLT sliders going for your next picnic, sporting event, heck, even for dinner at home tonight! You won’t be disappointed.

BLT Sliders

2015-07-17 10:13:21

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Ingredients

package of Hawaiian rolls
good bacon
small heirloom tomatoes
lettuce
3 TBS mayo
bunch of basil, chopped up
squeeze of lemon

Instructions

Cook up your bacon, set aside.
Combine the mayo, basil, and lemon.
Assemble the sliders: smear each roll with the basil mayo, top with lettuce, bacon, and tomato!

A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Grown up chicken nuggets.

July 20, 2015 / By Courtney / 2 Comments

Talk about elevating something so simple.

Chicken dipped in flour, egg, and parmesan seasoned panko bread crumbs. Sautéed away to golden perfection and topped with chunks of beautiful heirloom tomatoes and fresh arugula.

These chicken nuggets major win for the kids and grown ups. Everyone’s happy.

Whew.

Grown up Chicken Nuggets

2015-07-17 10:05:24

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Ingredients

-chicken cutlets
-flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
-2 eggs, whisked
-panko bread crumbs, I seasoned with fresh parmesan
-olive oil
-heirloom tomatoes
-bunch of arugula

Instructions

Set up your coating station. A plate with the flour, bowl with the eggs, and plate with the panko bread crumbs.
Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip and egg and pressed both sides into the bread crumbs.
Get a large sauté pan or skillet going over medium highish heat with a few glugs of olive oil. Cook chicken on both sides for roughly 3-4 minutes. I typically do two chicken cutlets at a time.
Replenish olive oil if necessary in between chicken pieces. I keep mine warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.
Top with tomatoes and arugula!

Adapted from Dinner A Love Story

A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Peach and blueberry crumbles.

July 19, 2015 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

It was a warm Sunday evening, our first night back at home after South Carolina. My dad was coming by, along with M’s mom, to help break in the new kitchen and see the progress that had been made.

Earlier in the day I had planned out the meal. Ok, ok, let’s be honest – I had been day dreaming about it all week in SC. I had to give the new oven a run for its money, so we went all out. A whole roast chicken, compete with fennel, carrots, and onions. Stove top potatoes with herbs, and butter lettuce mixed with our fav dressing. It was Sunday dinner perfection.

And yet in the mix of all the kitchen restocking and organizing and unpacking suitcases and baseball, dessert sort of slipped my mind. So as B napped away and L ran the bases, I frantically began to look around. Randomly, I had grabbed peaches and blueberries at the store earlier that day. Score. But the basic things, I had no idea. Eggs? Sugar? Flour? Do I have these things? And if I do, where the heck are they?

After a baking treasure hunt throughout the porch and garage, I discovered I had all the ingredients for Ina’s blueberry and peach crisp. Fantastic. A quick text to M to pick up vanilla ice cream on the way home from the ball field and dinner. was. complete.

Don’t you love when things work out that way? Especially when things happen to be a summer peach and blueberry summer crisp.

Peach and Blueberry Summer Crisp

2015-07-17 10:00:02

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For the fruit

2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (6 to 8 peaches)
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the crisp

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the peaches into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.
For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it's in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles in the refrigerator and bake before dinner.

Adapted from Ina Garten

A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Off we go.

July 17, 2015 / By Courtney / 5 Comments

Whew. To be honest, it feels like we just got home and yet, off we go again! This is officially the summer of sports and vacations, and our weeks have basically been divided by baseball, South Carolina, mini travel baseball, Montana, and then tackle football. That means school is just around the corner, which I can not even begin to process right now.

What I can process is getting myself to Big Sky, Montana. I am giddy with excitement, major bonus that this crew is coming with us this time. Yep, L and B will have their two partners in crime to explore the land. Seriously, when I grow up I want to be Logan. Or Beckett.

In the meantime, ALFS will keep moving along! Here are some things for your browsing on this beautiful summer day.

You saw this darling flag, right? ALFS readers get 15% through the end of July with code fromscratch715.

Did you know L’s name is actually from Montana? At the time it was a pretty unique name.

You better believe these overalls are going in my suitcase.

And (a version of) these boots that I’ve had for nine years. It always makes me smile when I board a plane to Big Sky and I see actual real live cowboys with their boots on.

Sunscreen is important for extra long hikes in 7,000+ SF. This one will be keeping us all protected.

I can’t wait to eat here.

Nights get cool, so a denim jacket is oh so appropriate. This one feels like butter.

Need a killer chicken dish for the grill? This one has 7,000+ likes on Yummly!

A vacation wouldn’t be a vacation without a new book. I’ll be cuddling up to this one on a massive leather couch during nap time. Can’t. wait.

What’s going on in your world today? Let’s chat about it in comments below, and have a great weekend!

*The fine print: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make your purchase but please know that when you do, it supports my blog and for that I thank you.

A kitchen peek + Framebridge

July 15, 2015 / By Courtney / 22 Comments

Well well well, our kitchen is officially done! As in, no more paint touch-ups, no more lights to rewire, no more electrical plates to put on, or reverse osmosis tank to wait for. We are OPEN for business and I could not be more thrilled with how it all turned out.

During this whole five month process, I had this vision floating around in my head. And with each large decision that was being made (and purchased, gulp), I just hoped and prayed it would somehow all work out. It’s funny what people will say when they enter the home now: “Wow, it’s so French!” “It’s so east coast!” “The cabinets are so… ornate.”

But the best thing that is said? “It’s so you.”

I hope so. Well, I hope it’s us. Polished but relaxed. Bright, comfortable, welcoming.

Welcoming is key. And I wanted that to be known. We already know the pineapple is the official sign of hospitality, so what better print to be first seen in the kitchen when you walk in from the mudroom.

It’s killer, right? The print is from Minted, and the spectacular frame is from Framebridge.

Have you heard of these guys? They are awesome. You simply buy your frame online, either upload or send them a photo (they email you the shipping label), and poof! It arrives to your home quickly, safely, and ready to be hung.

I was so impressed with their costumer service and pricing that I reached out to them to see if they could offer my readers a discount. Sure enough, I was met with a big YES!

So friends, if you have any beautiful prints, photos, or kids’ art work laying around that you’ve been thinking about framing, now is the time! Until 9/30/15, first-time Framebridge customers may receive 15% off their order by using the code ALIFEFROMSCRATCH15 at check-out. Woohoo!

Happy framing!
C

The fine print: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make your purchase but please know that when you do, it supports my blog and for that I thank you.