Quote of the Week

"Let there be a half hour of story time at the end of school in primary schools up and down the country.  Make this the half hour they all long for, that they don't want to be over.  Let the children go home dreaming of the story, reliving it, wondering." 

~ Michael Morpurgo

Dinner Last Night: Beef Biryani and Samosas with Apple Chutney

I'm trying to widen my kids and my family's culinary palette by trying new recipes at home that are unfamiliar to me and frankly a bit outside my comfort zone. I've found success in this by following recipes of bloggers and instagrammers whose recipes are consistently tasty, and adapting them to fit our dinner time routine.  Smitten Kitchen, Pinch of Yum, and Dinner, A Love Story are favorites when it comes to recipe consistency.

Last night, we tried Beef Biryani a la Pinch of Yum along with Indian Samosas and Apple Chutney (recipe c/o Tiffani Thiessen's cookbook, Pull Up A Chair).  I save these kinds of labor intensive, multi-course meals for weekends when I have my husband home to help out with the kids, so I can focus on prepping throughout the day.  I like to add in a kitchen hack here and there when it saves time or additional steps.  For example, I don't make my own samosa dough, I used frozen and defrosted puff pastry dough.  This goes over better with my kids as they like the fluffiness of puff pastry and saves me time and energy.  Plus, this apple chutney from Tiffani Thiessen's cookbook is sooo delicious!  It might be my favorite part of this entire meal.

image/pinchofyum

Friday Fun

+ the ultimate breakfast deliciousness

+ ten ways you can give up plastic easily - right now!

+ excited for this new cake cookbook

+ the impending sixth extinction - this is extremely terrifying

+ what do you think of the new Taylor Swift song, "Me?"

+ this marinated appetizer will definitely be pinned and added to my ever-long "must-make" list

+ rewatched this favorite movie this week - love it more and more with each watch!

+ rumor has it instagram is deleting the "like" feature. I feel like this could be a good thing

have a good weekend!

image/bloom

Quote of the Week

"You make each day a special day by just being you."

~ Mister Rogers

Friday Fun

We're wrapping up Spring Break and eager to jump into Spring.  Our stint of sunny weather seems to have been replaced with a few days of endless rain, but we're making the best of it with extra trips to the library, legos, and the occasional puddle jump.  What are you up to this weekend?

+ upping my veggie sandwich game

+ wise wisdom about how to be a better listener

+ regardless of your religion, do you have a sabbath practice?

+ a gorgeous national park that you've probably never heard of

+ just listened to this podcast about this NYC restaurant, and now I want to eat there!

+ an inventive interpretation of the wedding reception

+ love this beautiful dress for spring (if only it was a tad cheaper)

+ this with salmon for dinner? delish!

+ goal for easter = try naturally dyed Easter eggs

+ just another article reminding us the mental health benefits of girls' weekends

+ heard nothing but good things about this series - have you read it?

have a good one!

image/swisslark

Weeknight Baking: Chocolate Coconut Almond Scones

Joy the Baker saves the day yet again.  After day 3 of straight rain, we procured an especially large haul from the library, my kids cozied up with their new books and I scoured our pantry for sweet ingredients to make scones.  Chocolate - check!  Coconut - check!  Almonds - check!  They were sumptuous, light, fluffy, and delicious.  The perfect recipe, also worth noting the entire batch was devoured within 24 hours.  Maybe make a double batch next time...

image/joythebaker

Quote of the Week

“My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved. I have been given much and I have given something in return. Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.”

— Oliver Sacks

image/modernmrsdarcy

Green Book

Have you guys seen this movie?  I vaguely remember seeing a trailer ages ago, but I watched this weekend with my dear friend Vanessa.  It was such a good movie!  Viggo Mortenson and Mahershala Ali at their very best, it's no wonder it was nominated for all kinds of awards.  Take a view of the trailer at the least, I imagine you'll enjoy it!