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A Life From Scratch.

A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

Personal chef? Yes please.

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Earlier this week I was blessed not only to have a dinner made for me, but to have it made for me right in my kitchen! My youngest sister Talia, who you’ve met here, joined us for dinner with her adorable new boyfriend Dustin. They came armed with two full Trader Joes bags of deliciousness, including home grown vegetables from Dustin’s garden. Wow, I felt spoiled!


Talia knows her way around a kitchen. I barely blinked and she had everything going and I began to feel more in the way than actually helpful. She came armed to make her specialty – black bean burgers served over a crisp salad full of veggies and topped with peach salsa as the dressing. YUM.

We feasted on her perfect dinner out on the patio while enjoying Dave Matthews Band music, the 75 degree weather, and of course, the boys. You aren’t introduced properly to the family until you have to wrestle with L. Well done Dustin, well done.

Talia's Black Bean Burgers
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
  2. 1 TBS chopped garlic
  3. 2, 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
  4. 2 TBS freshly chopped cilantro
  5. 2 TBS freshly chopped parsley
  6. 1 egg
  7. 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, less if you aren't into a lot of spice
  8. 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  9. 2 tsp cumin
  10. salt & pepper
  11. olive oil
Instructions
  1. In a food processors, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped. Add 1 can black beans, cilantro, parsley, egg, and red pepper flakes. Pulse to combine.
  2. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add the remaining can of black beans and the bread crumbs. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Mix well.
  3. Heat a dash of olive oil on a grill or saute pan to medium heat. Divide your mixture into 4 patties and cook in the pan about 6 minutes a side or until heated through.
  4. Serve on buns, or over a salad topped with peach salsa.
Adapted from Sandra Lee
Adapted from Sandra Lee
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

Thank you, Tal!
Courtney

P.S. How cute are they?

His & Hers Pizza

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I’m not sure about your household, but in ours the pizza arrives with a very clear divide. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out which half goes to whom with one side loaded with meat and the other veggies. Somehow in my mind eating a pizza full of veggies clearly cancels out the dough and cheese.

After years of (delicious) take out I decided there has to be a healthier and cheaper way to create a pizza for M and I. And voila – there is! After a few attempts at truly homemade and using some short cuts I’ve got both options nailed down. And it’s almost easier than reaching for that smart phone to order take out…almost.

So, if you’re having a day like this…

…know that the short cut version takes about 5 minutes to throw together. I did it in-between feedings while attempting to at least wash my face and get L’s lunch together before the bus arrived. It sat in the fridge all day just waiting to be baked to bubbly perfection.

Pretty cool you that you can set THIS on the table when your significant other walks in the door. Impressive, right? You so rock.

We’ll save the from scratch version for when B is sleeping through the night. (Note to B, your brother did it at 6 weeks. Please follow suit).

His & hers pizza at home
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Ingredients
  1. dough
  2. store bought tomato sauce
  3. olive oil
  4. large chunks of fresh mozzarella
  5. Italian sausage
  6. parmesan
  7. arugula
  8. lemon juice
  9. salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. This is all about quality of ingredients. There are so few, so purchase the best ones you can afford.
  2. Grab some dough (I used whole wheat...shhh, don't tell M) from your local store and spread out onto a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan. Spread a store bought tomato sauce on half and olive oil on the other half. Top with large chunks of fresh mozzarella and whatever toppings you prefer. On M's side I added Italian sausage. Sprinkle parmesan over it all.
  3. Bake according to your dough directions. While baking, toss some arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, parmesan, salt & pepper. Top the white half of the pizza with the dressed arugula.
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

Serve on the patio, preferably with a chilled white.

Faster than Lous.
Courtney

P.S. Thanks Tia for joining us!

Let it be.

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It’s been a whirlwind of a few weeks or so in our household. I think M counted he’s been in 8 different states in the past 2.5 weeks and he leaves yet again this week. L has been to two family reunions and a mini getaway for the 4th. Needless to say today was all about laundry.

Last night was our first meal at home together in quite awhile and I was so excited to have my traveling carnies around. Seeing how it wasn’t a zillion degrees out we knew two things had to happen. 1. Grilling and 2. Sitting on the patio. We got them both in and our evening was complete.

On the menu? Flank steak. A dish that has always been OK in my book. It’s not the first thing I’ll purchase at the butcher counter but if I’m at someones home and they are serving it I will typically enjoy it just fine. I feel the trick is all in the marinade and I had yet to find my perfect match.

Until now.

Hello soulmate. These ingredients came together perfectly and penetrated the meat so you tasted the flavor from the inside out. The most important part? Let it rest. Exactly ten minutes. Not nine, ten. There is something to be said for that and I feel my past mediocre take on flank steak was that I did not let it do just that. Sure it sat there for a few minutes but I didn’t give it what it needed to showcase it’s full potential.

So make this when your not absolutely starving because it takes a really strong will power to pull this puppy off the grill and just….let it be.

Marinated Flank Steak
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 2 lbs flank steak
  2. 6 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. 1/3 cup soy sauce
  5. zest and juice of two limes
  6. 1 TBS olive oil
  7. 1 TBS light brown sugar
  8. 1 tsp hot sauce
  9. 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  10. kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Put everything together in a large ziploc baggie and shake up. Leave for a minimum of 6 hours, better over night.
  2. Grill over medium heat for just 3-4 minutes per side.
Adapted from Dinner A Love Story
Adapted from Dinner A Love Story
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

And of course….let it be.
Courtney

M vs. C

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There are certain recipes that come along that I just can’t pass up making for myself even though one of the star ingredients is enough to make M walk in the door, smell it, and turn around and leave.

Luckily this recipe is super easy to adapt and those work well in our home due to M’s, well, sensitive palate (to put it nicely). Listen, broccoli is in this recipe for a reason. It’s delicious. It’s healthy. It’s happening.

So what do you think…whose dinner looks better?

What M consumed:

What C consumed:

Regardless of whose is better (mine), this recipe is delicious and has become a staple in our home. We have had it twice in one week! So give it a go and adapt how you see fit. Like a good husband, it’s a flexible one.

Orecchiette w/ Sausage and Crispy Broccoli (and peas for M!)
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 3 1/2 cups broccoli florets, trimmed
  2. 4 TBS olive, plus more to taste
  3. kosher salt & pepper
  4. 1 lbs orecchiettte pasta
  5. 2 links sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  6. 1 cup fresh or defrosted peas
  7. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  8. 1 TBS butter, for richness
  9. 4 heaping TBS fresh ricotta
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Link a baking dish with foil, add the broccoli, and toss with 3 TBS olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, make your pasta according to package directions. Drain and save 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid.
  4. Add remaining TBS of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until cooked, 5-7 minutes. Add half of the reserved pasta water to the skillet and turn heat to high, cook, stirring, until it looks saucy.
  5. Add the pasta, Parmesan cheese, peas, and butter to the skillet and toss together to combine adding more pasta liquid if needed. Divide into 4 bowls and top with the crispy broccoli - if your kids (or husband) allow it.
  6. Top with more Parmesan cheese and a dollop of fresh ricotta.
Adapted from Dinner A Love Story
Adapted from Dinner A Love Story
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

Enjoy,
C

The 6:00 t-ball game dinner.

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How on earth do you make dinner when you’ve been in an office since 8AM only to stop briefly to get your kid in uniform – dusty cleats and all? Oh, and don’t forget you’re also snack parent at the 6:00 game. Are fruit leathers from Trader Joes really that unknown in the early elementary world? I think every single baseball star to be asked me ‘what are these’ in a very inquisitive tone.

But I digress. Yes, tonight would be a 5 minute dinner night. Easy and so much healthier than picking up that fast food that is ever so tempting sometimes…

So stick around for the whole game and know that you have all you need to get dinner on the table faster than most kids can run the bases. You don’t want to miss moments like this:

 

T-ball Tacos
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 1 TBS olive oil
  2. 1.5 ground white chicken
  3. 1 cup fresh salsa
  4. palmful cumin
  5. 1 tsp salt
  6. 8 taco shells, warmed in the oven if you prefer
  7. toppings including: cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream and/or salsa
Instructions
  1. Heat your olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat.
  2. Add in your chicken and brown for a few minutes. Stir in the salsa, cumin, and salt and cook together for a few more minutes until the flavors have come together.
  3. Scoop into your (warmed) taco shells and top with all the fixings. Serve in foil packets to keep the tacos standing up...just like at Chipotle!
Adapted from Real Simple
Adapted from Real Simple
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

 

Despite that these weren’t beef (heaven forbid!) M inhaled 4.
Courtney

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