Things I Love Thursday // 2.25.21

Progress

After much deliberation and so many choices, we finally decided on a rug for the study refresh. We wanted something with a fun but understated vibe. I'm always drawn to color so many of the first considerations were quite LOUD. I'm so pleased with where we landed. This rug is interesting in its asymmetrical design. I like the boldness of the black markings against an ivory background. It has fringe on only one side (cool!). Plus, it's super soft (just ask Richard Parker). I love how it's helping to pull the room together. Already, it feels so much warmer and "finished" (almost) in there. The company was great to work with and the shipping was swift between Morocco and the US --but then there were a few delays due to weather. No complaints, really. No one is coming over now anyhow!

Please note the piles of STUFF still unorganized and NOT put away just outside the archway.

Vaccines

YAY! It's finally happening. My mother-in-law (in California) has received both of her shots already --though, the second one knocked the wind out of her sails for about 2 days. Then today I got the best news! My dad has an appointment to get his first shot (Oregon, VA Hospital) next week. I hope your loved ones are having as much luck --or better, in finding available doses. I feel like we're making strides.

Big hugs to the safari-rockstar on the right who secured dad's appointment!
BTW, this is what I looked like at the end of 8th grade.

Kids Are IN School

Speaking of making strides, my kiddos got to go to school IN PERSON this week. It's the first time they've had classes at school in nearly a year. Our district is working on a 1 week on, 2 weeks off rotation and my girls were placed in the first of three groups (there is a fourth group who has selected to remain full-remote for the rest of the school year). Both report that things feel safe and they certainly have new springs in their steps this week. Had you asked me last week about how school closures were impacting them, I would have reported they were holding up fine and had transitioned well --which is true. BUT seeing their energy and happiness spike this week has really opened my eyes to how much they've been missing out on. Next week, back at home, will likely be a little rough.

Health Screen? Check.
Mask? Check.
Rocking 8th grade WAY smoother than her mom did? Check.

Ginger Cumin Beef Bhuna

The recipe for this South Asian curry dish is from my latest issue of Milk Street Magazine. We've enjoyed several recipes from this issue already and we will definitely repeat this one. It simplified things that it was made in the pressure cooker, though my husband would remind us, "The 'instant' in InstantPot is very misleading." The dish still takes almost 2 hours from start to finish --but aside from the cutting board, there's not much else to clean up along the way. For us, there were plenty of leftovers to make the investment of time worth it --as it provided lots of lunches too. Do watch out for the whole peppercorns when you're eating it (just push those aside) and if you're a little heat-sensitive, reduce the serrano peppers to just one.

A Touch of Spring

Yo. The sun came out this week and everyone rejoiced. Seriously. We live across the street from a college quad and it's suddenly full of frisbees, footballs, picnic blankets, and music. The plants are greener and the birds are nearly delirious with song. It won't even last through the weekend but we are soaking it all up with enthusiasm while we can. Look at the happy new growth on one of my City Stems babies:

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Damn. This book. I listened to a copy on Audible and it was outstanding. I'm planning a longer review in my Instagram account soon. If you're not following SourJonesBlog over there, you're missing out (she said so herself)! Have any of you read The Midnight Library yet?

The Crispy Bits of Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Seriously. These are unintentionally created in every batch next time. Whenever I pull out a tray of roasted brussels sprouts, I eat all these little crispy bits before I even transfer the rest to plates. I just stand over the oven and snack. Tell me you all understand the level of delicious I'm talking about here! I need to attempt to make a whole tray of just individual leaves next time. Is this a thing? Do people already do this? 

Could also be those giant salt crystals that help make the whole dish extra tasty!

Read More

Things I Love Thursday // 2.11.21

Happy Thursday! 

Here's a quick list of delights since my last post. Enjoy!

Pilot Cove

Thanks to one of the few opportunities to socialize lately: the soccer sideline, Pilot Cove came on our radar. This little gem is about 2 hours from us in Charlotte, just outside Asheville, in the tiny town of Brevard. Our family is familiar with Brevard because the girls attend summer camp there. However, we've never visited during the winter and we were overdue for a getaway. Happily, a last-minute cancelation on someone else's part resulted in our being able to book a spontaneous 3-night stay. While Pilot Cove is literally walking distance to the convenience of big retailers and groceries, it sits on the edge of the Pisgah National Forest and boasts hiking trailheads right on property. The way the "cabins" are situated, you feel nestled in the treetops. Each unit has a well-appointed kitchen, spacious balcony, and thoughtful extras. We hiked, ate well, read a ton, slept in, watched the Super Bowl, enjoyed the snowfall, and recharged our batteries. Before we departed, we booked another stay for the summer.

Beast Slippers

While shopping around adorable downtown Brevard, I immediately fell in love with these slippers. Greg could tell from the look on my face that I was in love. Without any hesitation he asked, "Do they have your size?" They did. You too could have an amazing pair! These are very similar. Don't hold back.

Milk Street Magazine's Harissa-Spiced Beef

This recipe ticks all the boxes. It's quick, flavorful, and prepared simply. Most of the ingredients we had on-hand. Harissa can be found in the international aisle (in a jar). It's nice to have in the fridge, as it mixes with hummus for a little kick and can be used to dip grilled meats, or spread on a sandwich for an extra bite. Don't skip the dried fruit. I had dates but the golden raisins would have been very nice too. The savory, sweet, spicy, and briney olives all come together like magic. You should definitely consider subscribing to the magazine (it's ad-free!). In the meantime, here's the recipe from the March-April 2021 issue, not available online (skip ahead if you're not interested): 1 1/4 cups couscous, 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided), 3 tablespoons harissa (divided), 1 1/4 cups boiling water, 1 bunch green onions (thinly sliced, whites and green separated), 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 pound 80% lean ground beef (or lamb), 3/4 cup pitted dates (roughly chopped or golden raisins), garnishes: fresh cilantro, pitted green olives, pistachio nuts, and lemon wedges. In a large bowl, stir together the couscous, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons each oil and harissa. Stir in the boiling water; cover and let stand while you prepare the beef. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, green onion whites, and cumin, stirring, until the green onions brown. Add the beef, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons harissa, dates, 3/4 cup water and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally while breaking up the meat, until the mixture is saucy. Stir in the green onion tops and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped pistachios, chopped pitted green olives and/or lemon wedges.

Leopard Cardigan

I found this cozy cardigan at a little boutique in Charlotte several weeks ago. I love it. It pairs nicely with jeans, a black dress (not that I'm wearing one anywhere), leggings, and even pajamas. Ha! Mine is beige. While looking around to see if I could link the sweater for you, I discovered that it's also available in grey. You can find them both (on sale) using the links under the photos.

Grey Cardigan available here

Beige Cardigan available here

Mouse Pad

I guess big cats are trending and I'm all about it. It started with the tiger rug. Now I have the sweater and this adorable cheetah mouse pad. Have you examined your mouse pad lately? Ours was pretty gross. What started out as a lovely white and grey marble design ended up stained and discolored. I decided a darker color would be much better... I found this new beauty on Etsy. There are so many great designs!

starting a new puzzle

I love starting a new puzzle --and I'm not sure why I don't have one going at all times. I intended to get started on a puzzle during the holidays, as that is a typical tradition for me, but somehow got too caught up with other things --so I was definitely overdue. I received several new puzzles for Christmas and my January birthday. This one I just started is a favorite! Do you puzzle? Anything over 1000 pieces is a non-starter for me. I think 750 is my sweet-spot but those are a little harder to come by.

Read More

Recipe Review | Mongolian Beef (Crock Pot)

This one is a triple threat: inexpensive, easy, and delicious! I'm not sure where the original recipe came from. This was in one of the "sets" of freeze-ahead meals that my friend Gretchen and I send each other. My family has enjoyed this meal no less than 3 times in the last 3 months and it always delights!

(Crock Pot) Mongolian Beef

~

What you need:

2 pounds stew meat

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger (you can substitute the grated ginger from the squeeze tube)

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

~

What to do if you're making it for NOW:

1. Place all the ingredients into the crock pot.

2. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

3. Serve over rice with a side of veggies.

~

To freeze-ahead:

1. Write on a gallon-sized freezer bag: "Mongolian Beef, Cook on LOW 6-8 hours, serve over rice with a vegetable side".

2. Place all the ingredients into the bag.

3. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

Read More

Recipe Review: Crockpot Korean Beef Tacos with Cucumber Slaw

I found this amazing-looking taco recipe on Pinterest (no surprise) and couldn't wait to try it for my taco-loving family.

{Confections of a Foodie Bride}

The recipe provided by FoodieBride is a hybrid of two other recipes. I added my own (small) adjustments in blue.

Ingredients

• For the Korean beef:
• ~5 lbs beef short ribs (can also use chuck roast or back ribs)
• 1 bottle (10 oz) low sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp ginger, grated (I just sliced mine into thin disks that I fished out later)
• 6 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 2 Tbsp sriracha
• 1 cup water (optional) (I did not add any water)
• For the Cucumber Slaw:
• 1 cucumber (seedless recommended)
• Thinly sliced red onion rounds 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• For the tacos:
• 16 small wheat (flour) tortillas
• cilantro
• bean sprouts
• Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• sriracha

Instructions

1. To make the cucumber slaw, slice the cucumber very thinly and sprinkle with salt. Place in a colander and let sit for up to an hour over a bowl or in the sink. (I skipped this step.)
2. Shake additional water from the colander or pat with paper towels.
3. Transfer to a bowl and toss with red onions, rice vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate until ready to use (leftovers get less and less crunchy as they sit but it can be made ahead, just pour off any accumulated liquid and toss with an additional 1-2 tsp vinegar to taste, if necessary).
4. To make the Korean beef for the tacos, spray your slow cooker crock with non-stick cooking spray and add the ribs (boneless chuck roast).
5. Whisk soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar with the garlic, ginger, sriracha, and oils.
6. Pour over the ribs in the crockpot. (I thought the liquid level looked a little low so I added ~ 1 1/2 cups of water.) Again, I did not add any water.
7. Cook on low for 8 hours.
8. (optional) Remove 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid and skim the fat from the top. Pour the liquid into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while separating the meat from the bones. Reduce the liquid by about half and pour over the shredded meat. I highly recommend this step!
9. To assemble, serve the shredded meat on warmed tortillas topped a spoon of cucumber slaw, cilantro, bean sprouts, sriracha and a dollop of yogurt (we used sour cream).

I used two roasts to equal approximately 5 pounds of beef.

I pulled out some cucumber slaw BEFORE adding the
onion and red pepper flakes (for the girls).

I had help shredding the meat.

Don't skip this step! 

I suggest cooking your meat a full 8 hours for this recipe.

Garnishes
The bean sprouts added a nice crunch; the cilantro,
a nice fresh flavor.

She ate two.
Her little sister ate one and a half.
Greg had four.
Papa Mike (visiting from CA) ate four.
I'm not telling how many I consumed!

So pretty too!

 This recipe is going on the "short list" of family favorites!

It's definitely salty--even with the low-sodium soy sauce.

I would use the chuck roast over the ribs again (it's less expensive and you don't have to bother with the bones.

This one's a keeper!

Let me know if you try it.

Read More