- Part 113

Crustless Quiche

Breakfast can be one of my favorite meals of the day. I say that it can be because many weekday mornings I grab an english muffin or, if I’m lucky, make a quick smoothie. What I’d do for a leisurely cup of coffee, an egg sandwich and peace and quiet while I read up on my favorite blogs. Ah well, that’s not exactly the life I signed up for. I love my morning snuggles, but they are followed by quickly feeding and dressing my kids and running out to drop my son off at school. Weekends however, are a different story. Typically we’ll make pancakes, but I’m also a big fan of eggs served any which way. Quiche would fall into that category of course but I can’t say I’ve ever made one myself. I came across this recipe for a crustless quiche and pinned it immediately. Not to say that I’d ever turn down crust, but sometimes it can make the dish seem just a little too heavy for me. I followed this recipe exactly and it was wonderful. One of those foods that kept my husband returning for more…and a little more. I think the next time I’ll add some bacon and maybe a bit of onion to make it a bit more exciting. The recipe is posted below which I found thanks to A Cup of Jo.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter for greasing the pie dish
Salt
3 cups small broccoli florets (from about 1 large head of broccoli)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 large eggs
Pinch of nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F, with a rack in the middle position. Butter a 10-inch glass pie dish, then set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and season it generously with salt; it should taste like seawater. When it returns to a boil, add the broccoli and gently boil, stirring once or twice, until just crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, then thoroughly pat dry and scatter over the bottom of the pie dish. Scatter the cheese evenly over top.

In a 1-quart measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste until smooth, then pour over the cheese. Bake until the custard is just set in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. (Don’t worry if the center is a little trembly; it will cook a little more as it rests.) Let cool slightly before serving.

May 20, 2014

More Chambray Please

It’s probably fair to say that I have mentioned both chambray and TJMaxx more than a handful of times on this blog. I hope chambray decides to stay around for a while because I just adore it. And as TJMaxx always does, it works it’s wonders giving me exactly what I didn’t know I wanted for an amount I’m comfortable spending. Well done.

I found this top and a similar tank by Stone and Cloth recently at TJMaxx. This brand is frequently sold at Anthropologie (another fav of mine) so when it started popping up here I was quite excited. They make such comfortable clothing and you know I’m a sucker for that. The basic chambray was the perfect backdrop for this new necklace of mine. I know the smaller, more delicate necklaces are moving on in, but I don’t plan on retiring my statement necklaces anytime soon!

Details: Cloth and Stone top via TJMaxx (similar here and here) / Zara pants / Stella and Dot necklace and tote / Shoes (old) / Rayban sunglasses / Anthro bracelet / Marc by Marc Jacobs watch

I’ll leave you with a glimpse of the shenanigans that go on behind the camera. This particular afternoon my daughter borrowed my son’s John Deer cap. I love the girl’s confidence that allows her to pull of whatever she wants!

May 19, 2014

Loving Lately: A little fashion

Happy Monday, all! I’m happy to see this weekend end. First of all because we decided to jump in and spring clean. The after effect is great but the process is just not what I call fun. Especially when you have two little ones tearing it up right behind you, ha! And second, on a totally different note, my feet had a reaction to my new favorite sandals that I talked about here. Ugh. This has actually happened to me once before and I couldn’t figure it out that time either. I was fine wearing them but by the evening my feet were itching like crazy! This lasted allll weekend. Have any of you ever had this happen? I’m sure I could go get tested for allergies, but what salesperson is going to know every chemical used in making shoes anyway? Well this time I’m not giving up. I ordered a pair of sandal insoles that are actually made for odor protection, but they stick to the bottom and cover the entire sole of the shoe, so that should solve the problem, right? That’s my thinking. But if any of you have ever dealt with something similar and figured it out please let me know! Or I’ll chalk it up to just being weird ;)

Okay, enough about that and on to some things I’ve been loving lately. No real rhyme or reason to this mix, but maybe something will catch your eye. You’ll likely be seeing a piece or two in some upcoming posts!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

May 16, 2014

High Five for Friday

It’s hitting me that summer is just around the corner. There are three weeks of school left, a week until Memorial Day weekend and temperatures have been (off and on) hot and humid. I’ve been busy signing my son up for camps, lessons and classes as we prepare to enter our last summer before my oldest child enters the big K. We won’t spend too much time on that thought because I’m emotional enough about it!

Here’s a look at what went on during my week:

1) Evening walks with my two little loves.

2) This would be Jack’s artistic depiction of me. I do appreciate my long eyelashes and bold lips.

3) I found one of the most comfortable pair of sandals I have ever owned. It doesn’t hurt that they’re pretty good looking too!

4) I’m in trouble. This was the little face that was looking at me after she crawled out of her crib, walked out the hallway and said, “hi, mommy”.

5) After this haircut, his stylist told me, “I wish every kid was as well behaved as he is while getting their haircut”. I was laughing in my head as I recalled the numerous attempts we would make at a haircut while he literally kicked and screamed his way out of every barber shop. Boy we’ve come a long way!

Have a wonderful weekend!

May 15, 2014

Date Night Ensemble

My husband and I do our best to get out for a date as often as we can (you can read that as hopefully once/month!) and when we do it’s nice to have some easy outfits to turn to. I love the ease of this bright printed top. It’s light and airy so it’ll be great as we go through summer. I plan on pairing it with my pink pants as well as some white denim for a nice crisp look.

And let’s talk accessories for a moment. My overall shopping mantra continues to be if you find something you love, buy it. Guaranteed you won’t be able to find whatever it is when you need it. At least that always holds true for me! I found this clutch at TJMaxx and didn’t have any immediate plans for it, but when we were ready to head out to meet friends it was the exact accessory I needed.

Details: Kohl’s top / DL1961 jeans / shoes (similar) / clutch via TJMaxx (similar) / Stella & Dot necklace and ring / Marc by Marc Jacobs watch

May 14, 2014

Chickpea Blondies

When it comes to dessert, I typically go all in. If you’re going to indulge, I say just do it (but don’t over do it!). However, I’m also always looking for new ways to sneak in healthy foods for my children. Overall they eat pretty well, but extra nutrients can never hurt! I came across this recipe and had it marked to try out. I finally got around to making them this week and am glad I did. We aren’t vegan or gluten free but for those that are, you’re going to love these. They are flour-free and butter-less but are full of flavor and have a soft, chewy consistency. And thanks to the chickpeas and peanut butter you’ll get a nice dose of fiber and protein!

If you have a food processor, this will be a snap. If you don’t, like me (it’s on my ‘need’ list), a blender will manage to do the trick. You’ll just need to get in there with a spoon and mix it up a few times. You literally blend/process and bake. Super simple and as healthy as a dessert comes in my book!

Here’s the recipe which I found via Spokane Dinner Club:

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 cans (15 oz ea.) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup all natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus 1/4 c
Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 9×13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a food processor or good blender, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and process until batter is smooth. Add in 2/3 cup of chocolate chips.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan then sprinkle and lightly press 1/4 c chocolate chips on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and edges are starting to brown.
Cool for AT LEAST 20 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt then cut into squares.

May 13, 2014

A Summer Maxi

As you may have seen in yesterday’s post, this was the outfit I wore to church and brunch on Mother’s Day. Throwing on a maxi dress makes getting dressed effortless yet I often find I receive many compliments when wearing them. The most important coming from my husband who complimented me a number of times on this one! The best part is that it came from Old Navy for $30 some dollars on sale a few weeks ago (they always seem to be having a sale, don’t they?!). The hardest decision was deciding between the navy or baby blue. No right or wrong there!

I carried along my new favorite summer tote with me. I’m a huge fan of all the perforated detail in shoes, bags and other accessories lately and I knew this would be my perfect sidekick for the summer.

Details: Old Navy dress / Stella & Dot tote / belt (similar) / Anthropologie sandals (similar) / Kate Spade earrings (similar) / Kate Spade sunglasses / bracelet (old) / Stella & Dot ring

May 12, 2014

A Mother’s Day Celebration

What a whirlwind weekend we just had! I honestly don’t know how it’s Monday already. Our weekend was jam packed with family, friends and beautiful weather. If I could have squeezed in just one nap, it probably would have been perfect. But I suppose sleep is over-rated anyway ;)

I didn’t have much time to prepare anything else, so here are some shots from Mother’s Day 2014.

Jack’s school hosted a Mother’s Day pancake breakfast. I love when I get to spend some one on one time with either of my children and this lovely morning was no exception.

You may remember me mentioning the one thing I wanted for Mother’s Day was a Mother’s Day journal such as the one I had seen here. Well my husband did not let me down. He found the most beautiful journal and filled it with pictures and colorings from our kids. From this year forward, we’ll continue to fill it with drawings, photos and messages so everything is held in one place. I can’t wait to look back over the years as time goes on!!

We were able to enjoy brunch with my husband’s parents who came up for the afternoon. I’ve said numerous times that I couldn’t have fallen into a better family. You don’t get to pick your in-laws, but I don’t think I could have chosen better myself! In addition to loving her son/my husband, my mother in law and I share so many common interests. I hear many nightmare MIL stories, but I honestly don’t know what I’d do without mine!

This picture totally cracks me up. I love that the camera auto-focused on my son, the photo-bomber!

We then moved on to my son’s soccer game where we had members of both sides of our family in attendance. We were probably the most obnoxious crowd cheering for one kid, but it must have worked because he scored two goals and could not have been more proud! This is him walking back to the car, completely exhausted, with my grandmother. Thanks to my sister, Sarah, for capturing this!

We finished off the day with my family enjoying pizza and salad. I don’t think life would be possible without each and every one of these women. My mother, grandmother and sister add so much to my life in so many different ways. I’m so very thankful for them all.

I hope you enjoyed your Mother’s Day being celebrated and/or celebrating that very special woman that raised you and loves you like none other!

As a final note, today is the last day to vote for me in the Redbook Real Women’s Style Awards. If you have a moment I’d really appreciate your vote! Thanks all!!

May 9, 2014

High Five for Friday

It’s funny to think that I started this blog in an attempt to help you, my readers. This week you showed me you’re actually the ones here for me! I can see a huge weight lifted off of my husband’s shoulders simply knowing that it’s all out in the open. Jack has Lyme disease and now the world is aware. For years friends and family knew he was struggling with headaches and or allergies, but that’s really because we didn’t have any specific answers or a label for what was really wrong with him. To clarify a bit more, Jack was officially diagnosed 3 months ago and has been on antibiotics since then. Although there is no set timeline or guarantee to when he’ll begin to feel better, his best guess is that he’ll start to have some good days by the end of the summer.

Again, I thank you all for everything you’ve been offering, from love, support and prayers, to offering to take our children and provide any specific help that’s needed. I admit, we’re not the best at asking for help, but I promise to try to get better at it ;)

You’ll also note that our lives look fairly normal through the eyes of my blog and that’s no lie. We are living our lives to the best of our ability. Typically Jack will be feeling awful during it, but making every effort to keep his life normal also helps to maintain his sanity. He’s on the road to recovery and we’ll be smiling along the way!

It’s been a busy week, here’s what’s been going on…

1) Today is the last day to enter the Rodan & Fields giveaway. 5 people are going to receive a mini facial kit and you could be one of them! Click here to enter!

2) It’s teacher appreciation week. You can’t go wrong with flowers, right?

3) We are down to the final 4 days of voting for the Redbook Real Women Style Awards! It only takes a second to click the star by my picture and I appreciate each and every vote! Click here to vote! Thanks guys!

4) I get crazy excited when I discover new healthy foods my kids will eat. As I was prepping a salad this week I caught this one popping in broccoli florets. Typically they’ll eat steamed broccoli, but raw is another story. Yay Maddie!!

5) I know there’s been a lot of talk around my husband and our family this week, but what’s just as important is getting the word out and creating an awareness of this awful disease. Prior to his diagnosis we knew very little about Lyme. Had we known more it never would have gotten as bad as it has.

For all of the mothers out there, I wish you the happiest of Mother’s Days! Enjoy your weekend and don’t do any dishes! I’m going to try not to ;)

May 8, 2014

Shades of Denim

First off, let me start my thanking you all for your total outpouring of love and support yesterday! I’m not joking when I say it felt like a full-time job keeping up with all of your comments, messages and texts….the best full-time job I could ever ask for! From sending your love, prayers, advice and resources it was totally overwhelming, in a good way. I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated and in turn please keep yourself aware of this disease. If not for yourself, you just may be the one to bring it to someone else’s attention and save them from months or years of suffering. Our prayer network took on a ton of new members yesterday and we couldn’t be more thankful.

Now, on to the less important things like fashion that keep my mind pre-occupied while we get through all this heavy stuff!!

Over the past few years, my rainbow of denim has drastically increased. I own bright colors, soft colors, white, off-white, and then the obvious floral from last years craze. Now the popularity of the chambray top offers a perfect pairing to any of the aforementioned denim bottoms. You could really end up with dozens of different outfits by simply mixing all of the denims in your closet, or is that only me?

This is the first baseball cap that I’ve ever owned. I do have one for running, but until now I never found one that really struck me for an everyday cap. When I saw this one at JCrew, I knew for sure that I’d get my wear out of it through the summer. Plus, the more sun off of my face, the fewer wrinkles later on! (I need to keep repeating this to myself!)