Courtney, Author at A Life From Scratch.

A breath of fresh air…

September 11, 2015 / By Courtney / 19 Comments

…Literally, that’s exactly what this room got.

Over mounds of paint samples, Starbucks, homemade coffee cake, and screeching toddlers, a color jumped out at me in my darling friend’s new home.

Was it the name? Was it the shade? Was it the room?

I think it was all those things. It was a pretty swift decision, that gorgeous dining room. And the oh so happy texts later once the painter got started confirmed it was the right one. Yippee.

What is this beautiful crisp color? Well, it’s Mountain Air by Sherwin Williams. It’s the kind of color that literally makes you want to take a deep breath when you see it, which is always a good thing to have in your home.

So, what do you think? Stunning, right? Can’t wait to see it all completed!

Dinner in a snap: Thai basil stir fry

September 9, 2015 / By Courtney / 6 Comments

Here’s another dinner in a snap post for you! Quick, healthy, fresh recipes made from minimal ingredients. Read: perfect for those busy school nights. If you missed my first two you can catch up here and here. Delicious. Alright, here’s how this Thai Basil Stir Fry recipe breaks down.

The timing:

Not bad at all! Especially for having to slice chicken, peppers, onion, and mince garlic. I do chop pretty fast though, as an FYI. You could always save time come dinner by slicing everything during the day. That would make this at least 5 minutes faster! Don’t skip the cornstarch – totally helps the chicken brown faster.

The verdict:

The flavor was awesome. It’s genius to add basil to a stir fry especially this time of year. Mike and I gobbled it up, the boys ate some chicken, and L had a few peppers.

Tips and tricks:

Again, slicing everything during the day would save a good chunk of time. Feel free to mix up the veggies with whatever looks fresh at the store. We served it over Trader Joe’s microwaved brown rice. I love those things.

Thai Basil Stir Fry

2015-09-08 21:30:46

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Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
2 bell peppers (a mix of colors), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 cups fresh thai basil leaves, larger leaves torn in half (regular basil works just as well)

Instructions

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated; season generously with salt and pepper.
In a large wok or nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Cook half the chicken, turning once, until browned, but not completely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Transfer chicken to plate.
Wipe out skillet with a paper towel. To skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell peppers; cook over medium-high heat, tossing often, until beginning to brown, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.
Add 1/4 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken to pan; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves. Serve immediately, over rice, if desired.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

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Home Sweet Home – giveaway!

September 8, 2015 / By Courtney / 28 Comments

It’s about time for another giveaway around here, don’t you think?

We’ve partnered with the darling Etsy shop, Daisy & Decor, to give ALFS readers a chance to win this real gold foil Home Sweet Home print. Lovely, isn’t it? Something that is needed in every home, I think.

I’m making it really easy to get entered to win. Just comment below letting me know where you’ll hang the in your home if you win. Speaking of which, I highly recommend these frames. They are all over my home.

Want to increase your chances of winning this gorgeous print? Sure you do! Just follow the simple steps in the Rafflecopter widget below. Remember, the more you enter, the better your chances of winning!

Just be sure to get entered by next Sunday night, September 13, at 11:58pm EST. The lucky winner will be announced on the A Life From Scratch Facebook page next Monday, so be sure you’re following us there so you don’t miss out! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, except where prohibited by law. Giveaway will run from September 8 through September 13, 2015 at 11:59pm EST. One (1) winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org) and once verified, will be notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion. By participating in this promotion, entrants give their permission for their email address to be added to the A Life From Scratch newsletter list.

C’s picks – week of September 6th.

September 6, 2015 / By Courtney / 2 Comments

B would like you to see the awesome fish he caught. 🙂

Ok, even on a looooong summer weekend, it’s good to take a break to work on the coming week’s menu plan, am I right? It just makes Monday so much easier. Well, Tuesday in this week’s case. Here’s our kitchen line up for the week! Hope it gives you a little inspiration for your own menu plan.

Sunday will be spent at our friends’ pool. Not entirely sure the food plan yet, but I do know these chocolate chip cookies will be in tow. I’m kind of not allowed there without them.

Monday is up in the air as well, which is so nice! Might leave it a family day, might bbq with friends. Either way, this Mediterranean platter sounds like an excellent idea.

That brings us to Tuesday and to a football night. T-ball tacos are complete in under 10 and are a family fav.

On Wednesday we finally get a break from the heat. This chipotle turkey chili with crisp apples sounds like a perfectly healthy dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes.

Sausage heroes work great on a busy Thursday! They come together in 15 minutes and 15 seconds, to be precise.

And that brings us to Friday. I’m hoping for a family night in, munching on this pizza.

What’s cooking in your kitchen this coming week? Let’s chat about it in comments below!

Happy Labor Day!

September 4, 2015 / By Courtney / 3 Comments

Alright friends, it’s our last gasp of summer. Take a deep breath with me now and let’s enjoy this. I’m hoping a lot of what’s pictured above is going on for you all. weekend. long.

To get us all prepped and ready for fun, here is a summary of what went down on ALFS this summer. It’s been an unreal one.

To start, the s’more platter entered and forever changed our lives. I mean, come on. If you haven’t indulged, this weekend is the time.

South Carolina was a blast with this crew. So much sand, water, and fun memories made.

Our kitchen was completed (right on time!), and it still feels like a dream walking into it each and every morning.

B lived in the short version of these this summer, and I lived in these. Mother and son stripes, obviously.

It was all about baseball, baseball, baseball. Lots of time spent on the fields, munching away on these.

Off to Montana we went with this crew and family. While we there, we jumped off a bridge, rafted, fly fished, hiked, swam, zip lined… you know, just a few things. When we got home M said ‘I literally think I lost 10 lbs from that trip.‘ Ha.

We were oh so happy for a few jaunts to Lake Geneva. Not enough grilled peach salsa in the world to say thank you.

M turned 37, B turned 3, and I turned 34. Yes, we are a very high maintenance family in August.

One of my fav motherhood posts to date.

The dress of the summer.

And let’s end with a bang, shall we? Smothered chicken. It’s a beautiful thing.

Summer forever, friends! Have a great Labor Day, and enjoy the long 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.