Courtney, Author at A Life From Scratch.

C’s picks – week of April 26th

April 26, 2015 / By Courtney / 1 Comment

Even though the weather suggests otherwise, baseball season has officially started in our town…play ball! Aaaaand Go A’s!

Alright, time to focus on the kitchen line up for the week. Who’s doing their weekly menu plan with me?

On Sunday we are off to my mother-in-law’s for dinner, which should be fun as the boys gets to see their little cousin! I’m bringing along these perfect roast potatoes.

Then on Monday, knock on wood, I think we can get the grill going on since it’s no longer 30 degrees and snowing, like last week. Oh my goodness, how good does this grilled chicken look? It’s topped with veggies and cheese and um, bacon, on the grill. Yes, please.

I’ve had this recipe on my agenda for weeks, and for some reason I never get around to making it. That’s changing Tuesday night.

For Wednesday let’s get a lighter chili going on the stove. Tons of veggies, tons of fresh herbs, this one keeps things super healthy.

On Thursday, let’s keep it simple. My boys love love love grilled Italian sausage, so we’ll be throwing some on the grill while baked potatoes get nice and fluffy in the oven.

And that brings us to Friday. Hoping for a nice evening to spend out with the family!

So, what’s cooking in your kitchen this coming week? I hope I’ve inspired you to get prepared!

Spring enchiladas.

April 24, 2015 / By Courtney / 11 Comments

Ok Chicago. What the heck is going on?

You can not go from 60’s – 70’s – even 80’s and turn on us like this.

It’s not fair. This is not Ok. As B would say, ‘you get a time out.’

Last week we were running barefoot in shorts and tees and eating on picnic blankets and barbequing outside with friends late into the evenings.

This week? Well, it’s back to winter coats. Back to boots. Back to flannel pajamas. Back to gloves? I know you keep thinking it’s 50 and sunny, but in reality with the wind that basically translates to 20 degrees. And there is no sun. Not cool man, not cool.

What to do, what to do. Well, not much aside from hibernating, which is pretty much what I’ve done this week. I finally threw in the towel with my ‘spring’ meal planning. It just wasn’t cutting it. It was time for some warm, gooey, comfort food baking away in the oven.

And that is precisely what these spring enchiladas are about. Black beans, corn, avocado, all rolled up in whole wheat tortillas, topped with shredded cheddar, salsa, and cilantro. Oh so comforting but still keeping it easy on the waistline because, you know, pool season is around the corner.

If you can even believe that. Right now, I so have my doubts.

Spring Enchiladas

2015-04-23 09:41:52

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Ingredients

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely minced
1 cup light or regular sour cream
2 (15-ounce) cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
2 medium avocados, cut in 1/2-inch dice
salt & pepper
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups salsa
1 cup shredded light cheddar or Monterey Jack

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine chipotle and sour cream in a bowl. Purée half the beans in a food processor; add to the sour cream mixture. Stir in the whole beans and corn until well combined and then gently stir in the avocado. Season with salt & pepper.
Warm the tortillas according to package directions. Working one at a time, spoon one-eigth of the bean mixture down the center of each. Roll the tortillas closed and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the salsa over the tortillas and top with the shredded cheese. Cover and bake 20 minutes until cheese is melted and burritos are warmed through and browned on top.

Adapted from The Kitchn

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

Drury Lane Burgers.

April 22, 2015 / By Courtney / 12 Comments

So, we share a gate with some neighbors. And by share a gate, I mean it’s never shut.

They have two littles who I’ve mentioned on here from time to time, Ryder (8) and Meadow (6). Brother and sister share the same birthday (I don’t understand how that could ever happen), which is weeks apart from L’s. Needless to say, L and Ryder and often Meadow and B are inseparable. Like approaching 8:00PM in the dead of winter on a school night hey maybe you should go home? ‘Nah, it’s ok’ inseparable.

Like I actually didn’t see L for 24 hours straight the other weekend inseparable. Hey, do you maybe want to come… home? ‘Nah, I’m good.’

Of course, like any friends, they have their moments. Melt downs have occurred and one or both have gone stomping home only to have asked 5 minutes later, ‘hey, can I go play with R?’ I will never understand boys. Um, sure? And off into the woods they go. All 4’10”, 79 pounds of them. Because best friends share the exact same stats, apparently.

I have to say. Months before while we were contemplating our addition, we did do a bit of research about just moving. It would be easier. We could get the space we wanted. We didn’t have to live through construction. We could get everything we wanted.

Or could we?

The first thing that hit me, and actually brought tears to my eyes, was taking L away from Ryder. I couldn’t do it. His little heart would break worse than any girl ever could cause. At least, I hope. I could be being naive about that one. I probably am.

But there is something to be said about living seconds away from your best friend. I grew up that way. I ran out the door. I maybe came home for dinner. And that was that. What we have going on here is priceless, better than anything on the market. M coaches Ryder in baseball. Vice versa for L with football. Julie can throw a football. I can pitch a baseball (kind of. Ok hey, I’m trying). Meadow gives me a bit of girl world in the sea of boys, and they scoop up L for an overnight at their lake house and I have an endless supply of Trader Joe fruit leathers which are always in demand by the crew. Bo Jangles, their cat, even knows to come this way if their home is shut down. Many of our weekends begin with ‘ok, what is your schedule like?’ I’ll take Ryder to football registration, you cover basketball pictures, and so on and so forth.

When I was growing up, the phrase ‘it takes a village‘ was made popular by Hillary Clinton. And while I don’t exactly agree with that, I do agree that it takes our little combination of Shady + Drury Lane. And I’m forever grateful that our kids have what they have, meaning I’m never ever moving grateful. Want to make a pact, Caranis?

I’ll make you these burgers for life. These chicken mixed up with black forest bacon, sharp cheddar, granny smith apples, red onion, and a dollop of dijon burgers. Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe them and I so love how even Ryder and Meadow gobble them up.

If you ever want more, you know where to find them. Just across the always open gate.

Chicken Apple Bacon Cheddar Burgers

2015-04-20 23:11:53

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Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground chicken
1 small granny smith apple, small dice
5 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
2 strips bacon, diced, partially cooked (black forest bacon from Whole Foods rocks our world)
1/2 red onion, small dice
big dollop of dijon
salt & pepper
(Please note these amounts are very flexible. I kind of threw things together in a bowl. Add more or less, depending on your preference).

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together with your hands and form into 6 burgers. Grill over medium heat for 5-8 minutes per side, until cooked through.
We served on whole wheat buns with lettuce and tomato.
Enjoy, and share any extras with a friend.

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

Motherhood: for a laugh.

April 20, 2015 / By Courtney / 27 Comments

I was recently encouraged by a friend to tell some real life stories regarding the boys. It amazes me what can happen day to day with these two. As they say, you can’t make this stuff up and I find that especially true when it comes to little boys. So, without further ado, I give you my first motherhood: just for a laugh post.

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It was early. Like 3:40AM early. I had just woken up B, did a quick diaper change, into his airport gear he went and I then carried him swiftly down the stairs into the dark. The taxi was already packed. L was buckled in the back. We were good to go.

We picked up my mom right down the street and just like that, in the middle of the night, we were off to O’Hare. I have a love/hate relationship with the 6AM flights. To be honest, B handles them better since he can take a long nap once we arrive at our destination, so that’s a positive. Never mind Mom is a zombie for a day or two.

We breeze(ish) through security, grab some iced coffee and banana bread, and head to our plane. All was grand. I’ve so got this down, traveling with the two boys. Nothing phases me.

They began to board. I waited, as I always do. I think we were the last ones on, B practically ran down the jet bridge to his seat. We buckled in and took off moments later, Scooby Doo playing in the background. Sigh. Again, a confidence-boosting moment.

About a half hour later, B began to stir. Enter C’s bag of tricks! Before every new flight, I stalk the dollar bin at Target for some new fun toys. This time I came across a Superman silly putty. Fantastic! I recall one flight with L when he was entertained by silly putty practically the entire time, so I had high hopes for this purchase.

We began to play, make funny shapes. Then I noticed something. It was sticking. To me, to my purse, to B, to the seat. Huh. Note to self: generic silly putty sucks.

I tried my best to distract B at that point for another new fun toy (look! plastic dinosaurs!), but he only wanted the silly putty. Fineeeeeeee. I will just monitor it.

First mistake.

At one point he playfully pretended to place it on his head (boys????? I will never understand), and I quickly said ‘no, no, not a good idea. Don’t do that.’ He took it down. Whew.

A few minutes later I turned my head, I KID YOU NOT, for 2.5 seconds. 2.5. Just to grab a sip of water. It’s an airplane, I was thirsty! I turned back to monitor the silly putty situation and voila. Guess what is not only on top of B’s head but SMEARED ALL OVER?

That would be the generic silly putty.

Huh.

The cool easy going mom in me was like ‘oh, no problem. It will pull out.’

It did not.

Enter panicky anixety striken sweating C.

At this point I’m sort of roughly pulling at it to see if there was any hope. Mistake number two. There was none, and at this point B had tears streaming down his face. Gulp. What to do. What to do.

The poor innocent man stuck next to us chimed in ‘ice! Ice will help.’

I poured about 5 of the man’s cubes on B’s head. It did not help. Still screaming.

The woman behind me insisted peanut butter would do the trick. Um ok, let me just grab my Jiffy out of my purse???? She had a small sample that came with some fruit box she brought. Thanks, but again. Not working. Still screaming.

At this point, it’s a scene. L and my mom are across the way. L, is totally oblivious plugged into his Kindle (thanks Grandad). My mom hands me some beautiful glass bottle filled with some expensive face oil (Sorry mom, I owe you). ‘Try this’ she says frantically.

Yeah, that did not work either. Still screaming.

Now about a good three rows front and back around me are involved, but nothing is helping. I’m trying to remain patient and thankful for the suggestions but I finally snap at all the kind people ‘THE ONLY THING THAT WILL FIX THIS IS SCISSORS.’

The flight attendant is near, ‘M’am, you can’t bring scissors on a plane.’

Someone has to have scissors. I know it. I’m sweating.

And I was right. Some one did. I don’t even know where they came from, but all of a sudden I was handed a small pair and just like that SNIP I cut the entire blob off the top of his head.

The best part? B looked up at me, so exhausted from it all, he practically melted into a deep sleep in my lap for the next 1.5 hours. Maybe kind of worth it!?!

As we exited the plane, B, still smeared with the remnants of silly putty, ice, peanut butter, and oils, exclaims ‘I got a haircut on the airplane!’

Yes you did, B. Oh yes you did…

C’s picks – week of April 19th

April 19, 2015 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

I know it doesn’t look like much, but the above photo is me standing IN the new addition right where the kitchen sink will be. I’m so in love, already. Now I can keep a better eye on the boys, although, who am I kidding. They won’t be in my sight.

Alright, time to create our menu plan for the week. Who’s with me? Let’s do this.

How beautiful does this roasted spring chicken look? I’m such a sucker for roasted chicken. Going to try it out Sunday night, along with some roasted asparagus on the side. Delicious.

This quick one skillet spring dinner looks fantastic for a Monday night. Brown rice on the side.

Green goddess pasta? Heck yeah for Tuesday night. Will make it a tad manlier for M by serving grilled Italian sausage on the side.

Crock pot buffalo chicken sliders sound pretty darn good for Wednesday. Bonus that it makes a lot so I can feed the construction crew the next day. Love not wasting any food and sharing, of course.

Thursday night let’s go with this beautiful spring quinoa salad and some of our favorite grilled chicken.

And that brings us to Friday and after a full week of cooking, a family date night out, please!

What’s cooking in your kitchen this coming week? I’d love for you to share your menu plan in a comment below!