Archives for January 2017

C’s picks – week of January 22nd

January 22, 2017 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

Happy Sunday friends! Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend and taking a few moments this morning to plan things out for the upcoming week. Makes Monday feel that much better, I promise! I have a whole new menu plan line up for you – lots of cooking this week. You ready? Of course you are! Let’s do this.

Sunday we are having a dear friends by for dinner, it’s been too long (I blame their hockey schedule). Ha. Going all out with my favorite beef bourguignon, crusty bread, spinach salad, and I’m sure a glass or two of good red wine. Can’t wait.

Monday night let’s lighten things up, shall we? Skinny Taste has the most amazingly delicious slower cooker chicken burrito bowl recipe. Make it for a baseball crowd once and it was a huge hit. So family friendly and easy!

Can’t be a week in January without a homemade soup! Can’t get enough of this one.

Wednesday let’s try a new spin on an old favorite, cacio e pepe. This one has bright green peas which looks oh so fresh.

Another slow cooker dish to test out Thursday. These Cuban sandwiches look right up our alley. Our pulled meat alley, that is. Ha. Serves on bread with melty cheese and pickles, yum!

Friday we are having another set of wonderful friends over for dinner. I never got a chance to test out this highly rated Roman chicken so planning on that along with fresh angel hair pasta and a light salad tossed with our fav dressing. Good wine too, obviously.

That’s a wrap – happy cooking!
C

Everyday moms: Meet Jenn

January 20, 2017 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

Do you ever wonder other moms secrets? Like actual real beautiful day to day hard working moms? So often I see a darling one at the park and think wow, she looks so great! I wonder what she is doing so well. With that in mind I thought I’d begin a new series on ALFS – Everyday Moms. These are moms I know, moms that have been recommended to me, moms that inspire and are beautiful inside and out. Let’s peak into their lives just a bit, shall we?

Meet Jenn!

Location: South Lebanon, Ohio

Job: Photographer & stay at home mom

Kids: Oliver (4) and Avery (2)

You’re in your closet – what do you reach for first? Comfortable jeans. My favorite brand is the Gap!

Hands down the one beauty product you can’t live without. Only one! Mascara, specifically Maybelline Falsies Volume Express mascara.

Your daily moisturizer. Are you happy with it? Currently, Cetaphil. It’s getting the job done.

Your nightly moisturizer. Are you happy with it? Not really. I would like to try something that doesn’t make my face break out, but I’m having a hard time finding that!

Something in your shopping cart online right now that you want to buy – budget is no limit. A new camera lens.

How do you feel your beauty routine changed when you became a mom? It became much shorter. I usually have a bare face and mascara. I used to do a full face of makeup.

Biggest indulgence you allow yourself. Spa treatments. I love a good pedicure and a good massage.

Tell us about your kid(s). I have two handsome little guys; Oliver is 4 and Avery is 2. Oliver is my wound up, crazy, hyper ALL BOY boy. Avery is also crazy, but he listens better…for now. They’re both really affectionate and sweet, luckily.

What is your biggest struggle as a mom day to day. Hmmm…having patience? My 4 year old tests every boundary and pushes every single button. He’s so sweet, but I find myself yelling way more than I would like to.

What is your biggest happiness as a mom day to day. My kids are BEST FRIENDS. Like, they literally are obsessed with each other. It makes me feel like I’m doing something right when I watch them play together.

Snap your fingers – you could have a magic fairy help you with one thing around the home every day. What is it? I would love a personal chef! My husband and I can both cook well and we love doing it, but it seems like with 2 little ones are meals are pretty much the same in rotation and not as healthy as I would like.

Because you are oh so pretty, tell us about your favorite feature! I love my eyes!

Love it, Jenn. Thanks so much for hanging out with ALFS! And I have to say you’re totally right – your eyes are perfection. And as a mom of two boys as well, hearing yours are best friends warms my heart.

January Crushes

January 18, 2017 / By Courtney / 2 Comments

Ok, s dreary as January can be, there is always something to smile about. Right? Maybe? My monthly crush posts are for just that. Here is what is currently making us happy around the home. Hoping for a little sunshine to add to the list.

Ginger ginger ginger, I am all about this scent in the winter. It’s so uplifting and energizing which is oh so needed when there are extensive amounts of time without the sun. Target nailed this hand soap!
And yes, more ginger. I fell in love with Candlefish candles when my local Anthropologie store started carrying them. They are oh so beautiful and the smells are so unique. #30 is my favorite, which combines ginger, along with bergamot and lemon. It’s pure heaven.
What’s not to smile about a gold confetti coffee cup?
Oh winter skin, you fickle thing. My current nightly skin care routine? Wash face with this. Moisturize with this. Then, before bed, I layer Argan oil on top and my skin wakes up soft as a baby’s bottom.
I was gifted this blanket by my sister in law for Christmas and I have, no joke, been carrying it around the house like a toddler with her blankie. I am obsessed. If you have a birthday or something special coming up I highly recommend adding to your list. (Pssst – also comes in a blushy pink, swoon!)
Ok, is there a cuter way to keep away the germs? I think not. Love these gummy bear hand sanitizers by Skinfood, bonus that they come in awesome flavors like pineapple and raspberry.
Read this book in Florida and totally loved it if you’re looking for something to cozy up with.
Ah yes, my motto for January. And February. And kind of sort of March.

What do you think? Anything make you smile?
C

Slow cooker Korean beef bowls

January 16, 2017 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

You guys.

If there is ever a slow cooker recipe of mine to try can it pretty please with a cherry on top be these Korean beef bowls? It’s just that good. Thinly sliced flank steak tossed in corn starch slowly bubbles away in a sauce of soy, brown sugar, stock, garlic, onion, red pepper, and sesame oil.

What does that leave us? Well, with the most tender and flavorful little strips of heaven begging to be served over some jasmine rice and topped with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds.

A completely satisfying meal both parents and kids will enjoy. In fact, my only complaint with the original recipe is that it didn’t make enough. I’m giving you the doubled version, feel free to cut in half if you feel it’s too much although as a family of four we had no issues eating every morsel. Not sure if that is the norm though, we lean towards big eaters.

Recommended and approved by my mom, and me, get this one going for your family this week!

Slow cooker Korean Beef Bowls

2017-01-12 12:41:27

A savory and sweet Korean beef slow cooker dish the whole family will love!

Write a review

Save Recipe

Prep Time

10 min

Prep Time

10 min

Ingredients

3 lbs pounds Flank Steal
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons Sesame Oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup Soy Sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
sesame seeds and green onions, to top

Instructions

Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake it up to coat!
Add sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, onion, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir ingredients together. Add coated flank steak (shake off excess corn starch) and stir again until fully coated in the sauce.
Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Serve over rice and top with scallions and sesame seeds!

By The recipe critic

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

C’s picks – week of January 15th

January 15, 2017 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

Another wintery week ahead of us. Let’s get menu planning with some oh so delicious, easy, and family friendly recipes. I hope you can find something you feel your clan would love! Here we go.

Sunday sounds like a perfect day to be lazy in pajamas and get something delicious going in the slow cooker. Do you know this soup is the most popular one on Pinterest? Must be good, can’t wait to give it a go.

Oh my, any way to make Chinese food healthier I am IN! Baking honey sesame chicken? Genius! Plans to serve it over brown rice with roasted broccoli.

Didn’t get around to trying this baked gnocchi dish last week so it is high on the agenda for Tuesday night this week. Hoping for a whole family win with this one.

Wednesday night let’s go with an oldie but goodie. Homemade tostadas always seems to be a hit around here.

Oh I love a good slow cooker soup and this pasta e fagioli looks downright heavenly. Serve with a little parm, bread, and red wine. What more could you want on a winter night?

Friday night will be spent with wonderful old friends (old meaning length of friendship, not age ;). I can’t wait to make a special meal for them. This one has an insane amount of 5 star reviews on Food Network, I can’t wait to try it out. Will be serving over angel hair pasta and salad on the side.

Lots of good cooking this week – can’t wait!
C