find a recipe!

A Life From Scratch.

A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

Flying stromboli.

/ By / 6 Comments

stromboli

This is one genius idea for a family dinner, if you ask me. All you have to do is roll up that bad boy and voila – you made stromboli! And guess what? Everyone is happy, because it’s pizza. M gets his meat and cheese so he’s content, L is eating green peppers without realizing it (sneaky), and I’m content with my spinach and mushrooms. Use whole wheat crust and you’ve got yourself one healthy dish. Even the bebe got in on it, but he’ll eat anything. Actually, let me rephrase that. He’ll take a bite of anything and then immediately throw what’s left. 

I’m serious guys.

Pediatrician said to ‘calmly say ‘we don’t throw food’ and then take whatever is leftover away. Don’t let him see that it affects you.’

Well that’s fine and dandy but that was at 12 months. B is almost 15 months. That is 2-3 meals per day for 3 months….well you do that math. Let’s just say I’m quite over it and you can’t exactly drink wine with breakfast or lunch to ‘stay calm.’ Right? Right.

I’m open to suggestions below! My suggestion? Make this recipe, soon.

Stromboli
Serves 6
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
50 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Ingredients
  1. whole wheat or regular pizza dough
  2. Olive oil
  3. pizza sauce
  4. mozzarella
  5. parmesan
  6. oregano
  7. crushed red pepper
  8. a variety of toppings – your call!
Instructions
  1. Set out your dough 30 minutes or so before using to get to room temp. It will be easier to handle this way.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Grease a baking sheet generously with olive oil.
  4. Spread the dough out so that it’s flat, like pictured.
  5. On goes your sauce, pinch of oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, and toppings.
  6. Top with your cheeses and slowly roooooool it up!
  7. Sprinkle salt on the top and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown.
Adapted from Dinner A Love Story
Adapted from Dinner A Love Story
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/
Eat up,

C

wwww.

/ By / 7 Comments

wwww22

Happy Wednesday to you my friends! I hope everyone is having a good and fashionable week – and staying warm! My goodness it got cold. Do you have some adorable bundled up looks to share? We’d love to see them! As always, play along by commenting below or join us on Facebook.

L: Abercrombie striped tee (love the moose!) and Gap skinny jeans. Doesn’t he look thrilled to be having his pic taken? He was SO over me at that point as I was rushing us all to get to the bus. ‘Mom, if we are running late and have no time WHY are you taking my picture?’ Valid question, L.

B: We had a little Panera lunch date together that day (mmmmm bagels) and by little I mean like 6 minutes because that is as long as he will sit in a high chair. I inhale my food. Anyway, he wore some Gap skull jeans, a striped comic tee from Target, and a neon hoodie from Crewcuts. I love that piece on him!

C: I have so many memories of wearing B in the sling and walking to the bus stop with him wrapped up in that long gray sweater. Now he is way too massive to pull that off. Sigh. The sweater is from Cabi and is so cozy. AG jeans, Free People tee, and Frye boots.

That’s our look – let’s see yours!
C

C’s picks.

/ By / 4 Comments

photo-637
B loves to moo at the bronze cow at the butcher. We have to moo for at least 5 minutes before he is satisfied.

Ok then…! Time for another week and with temps in the 40’s and 50’s it’s time for some awesome comfort food to stay warm.

Sunday I promised M burgers on the green egg. He’s been asking for like 3 weeks so it was time to cave. We’ll pick up some all ready to go from our fav butcher. I’m thinking homemade onion rings and roasted asparagus sound like the perfect sides.

Monday night let’s go with stromboli. It’s a super family friendly recipe – easy and little mess. Music to my ears. 

I know I will have a huge urge to cook something in my red pot so let’s go with a hearty and healthy chili. Another awesome family recipe.

Wednesday night we will stick with leftovers – i.e. mom is going out!

Thursday night I’m going to try individual cottage pies. Don’t those just sound adorable? 

Friday night – dinner out!

That’s our line up for the week – tell me something you’re cooking, I’d love to hear.
C

Winter weight.

/ By / 4 Comments

Homemade Mac & Cheese

This one isn’t for the faint of heart. First of all, there is butter. And cream. And whole milk. And two types of cheeses. And bacon. Hallelujah.

Wait…! Before you leave ALFS forever stay with me on this one. It’s getting cold, right? An extra pound or two can’t hurt in fact it helps. Winter is harsh! And let’s be honest here, it’s not like you’d eat this everyday. This is for that special ‘my stomach needs some love’ kind of a day. 

Boy is it worth it.

Curtis Stone thinks so too, in fact this is his recipe and surprise surprise – it’s perfection. Hey, if he can eat it you can eat it. Yum all around.

Homemade Mac & Cheese
Serves 6
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 6 slices Bacon (cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips)
  2. 1/2 cup chopped Shallots
  3. 2 Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  4. 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
  5. 3 1/2 cups Whole Milk (or as needed)
  6. 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream (or as needed)
  7. 1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 6 ounces)
  8. 1 1/2 cups shredded White Cheddar Cheese (about 6 ounces)
  9. Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
  10. 1 pound Penne
  11. 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (melted; plus butter for the baking dish)
  12. 2/3 cup Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)
  13. 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
  14. 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
Instructions
  1. Cook the bacon in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until golden brown about 5 minutes.
  2. Using a slotted spoon transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve.
  3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings. Add the shallots to the bacon drippings.
  4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until translucent about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  6. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the flour.
  7. Cook the flour for 1 minute stirring constantly.
  8. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream.
  9. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat about 10 minutes.
  10. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gradually add the cheese stirring to blend.
  11. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  12. Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water for 8 minutes stirring often to prevent it from sticking.
  13. Drain the pasta and stir together with the bacon and cheese sauce.
  14. The sauce will look loose but will continue to thicken once the pasta is added.
  15. If the sauce begins to thicken too much add more milk or cream to thin it to the desired consistency.
  16. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Butter a casserole dish and transfer the pasta mixture.
  17. Sprinkle the parsley over the pasta mixture then stir some of it into the pasta mixture.
  18. Preheat the broiler.
  19. In a small mixing bowl toss the breadcrumbs with the melted butter to coat well.
  20. Season with salt and sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the pasta.
  21. Broil until the topping is golden brown watching closely about 2 minutes.
Adapted from Curtis Stone
Adapted from Curtis Stone
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/
Eat up!

C

wwww.

/ By / 4 Comments

wwww20
Another week – another wwww! You know the drill – comment below for a link back to your blog or show off your little(s) on Facebook. Thanks for playing along!

L: Looking back from photos this past weekend L pretty much lived in his football or baseball uniform – so, I went with it. He makes a pretty cute baseball player, if I do say so myself. Team issued uniform. Funny story about the socks, they itch him so much I have to lotion his legs with my CO Bigelow lemon butter before we put them on. Eh – high maintenance much?

B: Isn’t B’s new trick just fantastic? It doesn’t stop there – he then flings himself off of the mantel. Sigh. I don’t know how to baby proof it so we’re just going with it. He’s actually oddly steady up there. This weeks outfit is the typical Gap skull jeans along with a gray henley which is also from the Gap. When it got cold we went with his monster sweatshirt which was a gift from his grandma Mimi and was pretty indicative of his mood that evening.

C: We went to L’s good friend, William’s, 7th birthday party – so fun! I wore a polka dot top from the Loft, jacket from Cabi, the new AG jeans and Target camel flats. Hard to tell in the pic but also had a pretty fun necklace on from J Crew. Don’t you love my baseball bat accessory? 

That’s our looks from this past week – let’s see yours!
C

Top