Blog - A Life From Scratch.

Spring break dreaming… for the boys.

March 9, 2015 / By Courtney / 28 Comments

We had a chance to daydream about my picks for spring break; now let’s focus on the little ones I will be toting along with me.

1. This shirt says it all. B will be rocking this to and from PBI.

2. Night sometimes get a bit chilly, so a classic long sleeve polo in an oh so fitting aqua color saves the day.

3. Is B still too young for these kids Ray-Bans? That answer would be yes. L will be rocking them, though.

4. Yet B’s not too young to finally join the rainbow family. How darling are these sandals?!

5. Love the print on these boys’ board shorts – love the bright orange tie.

6. Sometimes it’s all about the little things, right? This 86 cent pack of clay made all. the. difference. during plane rides and restaurant visits. Seriously, stock up.

7. I have visions of that perfect shot of my tanned wavy hair boys in classic white polos by the ocean. It has yet to happen, but the intention is there.

8. EEK! I used to dress L in brightly colored skinny pants but sadly he has moved on. Good thing I have B to keep it going because these are just too darn cute.

9. I might go out on a limb here and say this was the best $29.99 I have ever spent. Following tantrum after tantrum regarding luggage (no B, you can not take random people’s luggage at the airport, no B you can not pull daddy’s suitcase around the house and ding up the walls), it was time to invest in a piece for my very own seasoned little traveler. It has provided hours of entertainment at home (we play airport), and we now make it through O’Hare tantrum-free. WIN. Moms of girls, they make a darling owl one, too!

What’s going into your little one’s suitcase for your Spring break trip? I’d love to chat about it in comments below!

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C’s picks – week of March 8th.

March 8, 2015 / By Courtney / 1 Comment

Daylight past 4:10PM. 40 degrees. Outdoor play. I can see the light. Who’s with me?

Hey, I know it’s crazy to think about grilling season already, but is anyone else so over comfort food? Yea, me too. Let’s shake things up this week, shall we? 20 minutes is all it takes. Let’s do this while it lasts. Because we all know it will be back to the 20’s shortly.

On Sunday we are so getting these skirt steak tacos on the grill. So in love with the homemade salsa that goes along with – don’t skip it!

Sunny and 40 degrees on Monday? Fantastic. I know, it sounds desperate. Let’s get this grilled Hawaiian chicken going. Grilled veggies and Trader Joe’s brown rice on the side. AloHA.

On Tuesday, Mom has a night out – woohoo! Boys? Have fun.

For Wednesday night, let’s go with a classic surf & turf. And by surf & turf I mean I eat grilled salmon and the boys eat meat. This beautiful roasted potato bake will sit perfectly on the side for all.

That brings us to Thursday and I think we need a little pasta in our week. I’ve been eyeing this one for quite some time. Let’s give it a go.

And then Friday. I’m thinking a family date night out here sounds perfect. Boys get to play with pizza dough, mom and dad get a good glass of wine. All is right in the world.

What’s on your menu plan this week? I’d love to know what’s cooking in your kitchen! Let’s chat about it in comments below!

P.S. B is modeling this Panama Hat from J Crew. Spring break style is oh so fun! Stay tuned to ALFS tomorrow to hear what is going in the boys’ suitcases!

Happy (daydreaming) Friday.

March 6, 2015 / By Courtney / Leave a Comment

Sigh. This stunning ocean print by Kara Rosenlund hangs in my living room and I’ve found myself completely lost daydreaming in it lately… wow.

Let’s see. What else is going on this week. Can potatoes be pretty? Oh yes they can. These took center stage in my kitchen this week, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on the oh so lovely recipe.

This article hangs in my kitchen. New moms (and seasoned ones!), it’s a great read should you have the time.

I’m just going to say it. This made me laugh, hard. Well done, well done.

White tulips give me hope. I’ll be buying them weekly until winter breaks.

Our permit has officially been released from our Village for our expansion. Whew. Ground broke on 3/5 and to get me through it, I’m day dreaming about this paint color. I’m looking for a white that has been ‘pinched’ to get a glow of pink. What do you think?

B refuses to go to sleep at nap or night without this.

And lastly, let’s end with this little conversation with L: ‘How was baseball practice?’ ‘Well, my coach said I was on fire but he didn’t notice my haircut, so…’

Happy Friday friends!
C

Roasted Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Bake.

March 4, 2015 / By Courtney / 12 Comments

It’s no joke that I’m a total sucker for a roasted chicken recipe. My tops favs including this chimichurri recipe and this chicken facile, but this Spanish chicken & chorizo bake completely blew me away. It took all of five minutes to prep and one hour on the dot to roast away to a browned perfection. On the table it goes with a glass of wine and you’ve got yourself a meal.

Don’t have an hour at dinner time because you’re running kids like a mad woman all over town? I understand. Try this tip. The above came together when L was in school reading away, B was at his little 2’s class singing songs about body parts, and me? Well, I was alone in my kitchen (!!!), throwing these ingredients into my big roasting tray while this song blasted away. Once cooled, into the fridge it went to hang out until dinner time, and out the door I went to pick up B.

You know what? I’m convinced sometimes recipes are even better that way. They have time to linger, meld flavors, figure it all out. Come 5:30, I preheated the oven to 275 and let it warm up for an hour or so. Tasted divine.

Spanish Chicken

2015-03-01 23:12:45

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons regular olive oil
6 chicken thighs (bone in, with skin)
1 pounds chorizo sausage, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (you can use regular sausage if chorizo is too spicy)
1 pounds baby white-skinned potatoes, halved
1 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoons dried oregano
salt & pepper
zest of one orange
basil, ribboned

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the oil in the bottom of a shallow roasting pan. Rub the skin of the chicken in the oil, then turn skin side up.
Add in the chorizo sausages and the baby potatoes. Sprinkle with the onion, oregano, salt & pepper, then grate the orange zest over the contents.
Bake for 1 hour. The last few minutes or so I switched on the broiler to brown and crisp up the skin. I topped with some basil ribbons for color and onto the table it goes.

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

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