Summer 2015 Home Tour

Welcome to my 2015 Summer Home Tour.

We're so glad you stopped by!  I currently don't have a fancy camera so I took all these shots with my iPhone.  I'm really hoping and dreaming for a Nikon 3300 for my birthday this year.  (hint, hint ;-))

Even Daisy is glad you're here!  Come on in and let me tell you a little about our house.We live in a 1400 sq ft home in Sacramento, CA.  Our neighborhood is lovely and we are right down the street from my daughter's elementary school.    

When you first walk in the living room is on the left and the dining room is to the right.

We recently had all new windows put in and the amount of light we have now is amazing.

The living room is my favorite room in the house.  It's also were we spend the most time.  I wish I was one of those moms who come up with all kinds of activities and projects for the kids to do, but the truth is, we watch TV a lot.  Which is why I wanted this space to be functional but still pretty. The media cabinet was a recent Goodwill find and I repainted it and installed new hardware.  It holds all of our DVD's and some games and books too.  It also hides the wireless router and DVD player.

Like I said, the dining room is to the right making this a very open and non-formal room.

Here's a little secret about this table... When I painted and stained it I forgot to do the leaf!  Since I kind of just combined a few shades of grey to get the one I liked best I don't know how to recreate the color.  So, for now the table will only seat 8.  Oops!

Just beyond the dining room is my kitchen.  Have a seat at the island and I'll pour you a glass of lemonade. 

Since my kitchen is very short on storage I opted not to make it an eat in kitchen, but instead to get a big island with extra shelving and storage.  On other side I have two stools for the kiddos to sit at and have breakfast or help me cook.

I'm under no illusion that blue counter tops are "in" right now.  They are, however, easy to clean and within budget (there is no budget!).

I love that my kitchen sink overlooks the back yard so I can keep an eye on the girls when they are playing outside.

Lily Claire loves making me little pictures for the fridge.

As you can see counter space and storage are minimum here, but I love the open shelving for the everyday items that we use most.

On the other side of the house, past the living room is the bathroom and the kids bedrooms.

Again the new windows make this bathroom so much bigger and brighter.

I painted the vanity a few months ago and finally found a shelf for above the toilet and a shower curtain I loved.  This is the kids bathroom, but also the only guest bathroom in the house, so I wanted it to have more of a grown up feel.

Ella's room is bright and cheery and she loves her little bed!

My room is the last room on the tour today.  It is the only room upstairs in the house and it has more of a loft feel.  It is a generous size though and it is nice to have the quiet get away.

I forgot to move the dog's bed, but lets be real, folks, she this is her room too.

Thanks for stopping by my home.  I hope you enjoyed looking around!  I know I loved having you here!

Spring Pea Pesto Pappardelle

I've mentioned my love of cooking shows on multiple occasions.  Not having cable has been easy for the most part, (we gave it up a few months ago because it was so darn expensive!) but I do miss the Food Network.  Luckily we have Hulu Plus and I can watch episodes of The Chew whenever I want.

The other day Mario Batalli made pappardelle with peas and parm.  It looked amazing.  I had some fresh peas that I bought at Trader Joe's so I decided to make my own pea pesto.  It varries a lot from Mario's but I promise, it's delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups fresh shucked peas (substitute with frozen)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (plus more)
1 pound fresh pappardelle
1 cup of fresh basil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling add the peas and cook for 5 minutes.  remove the peas with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice water to preserve their color and stop the cooking process.  

2. Use the boiling water to cook your pasta.  Follow the instructions to make al dente pappardelle. Remember to salt your water generously.

3. While the pasta is cooking  drain the peas and add them, the basil and parm to a food processor and pulse several times.  Drizzle in about 1/4 cup of olive oil or enough oil to make a smooth pesto sauce.

4. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.  In a large bowl combine the pasta and the pesto add a little pasta water at a time until you get the desired consistency.  Top with more fresh parm and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Tequila Lime Chicken

Things have been crazy around my house for the last few weeks.  We're nearing the home stretch of the school year, but it wouldn't be life without a few hiccups along the way.

In the last month we've had sinus infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, ruptured ear drum, stomach flu... I suggested my husband bring a roll of caution tape home from work and wrap our house in it.

Getting out and going shopping at the grocery store has been pretty much impossible.  I had some chicken leg quarters in the freezer and thought they would work for dinner.

Ingredients:
2 limes
1 clove of garlic minced
2 chicken leg quarters (you could easily sub breasts or thighs, but you do need skin on bone in)
1/2 cup of tequila
olive oil
handful of cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Place defrosted chicken in a large zip top bag. Add tequila, zest and juice of one lime, garlic, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to the bag and seal.  Massage the chicken until all the ingredients coat the chicken evenly.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Heat a cast iron skillet in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  Take skillet out and put on a burner over high heat.  Add a little oil to the pan and place the chicken in skin side down.  Cook 3-5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden.  Turn chicken and put skillet back in the oven.  Cook for 40 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes.  Serve with fresh lime wheels and cilantro.

A few of my favorite recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Who doesn't  LOVE Mexican food???  I know I do.  My only dilemma about Cinco de Mayo is how do I choose what I want to eat??  I wanted to share my dilemma with you, of course and give a few suggestions for your dinner tomorrow!  I promise, you won't be disappointed with any of them! 

Crock Pot Pork Tacos

This Chicken Taco Salad is perfect for a light easy lunch or dinner and has 

all the flavors of Mexican food that I love!

Carnitas Nachos.  No more needs to be said.

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

And of course my tradition Red Sauce Enchiladas.

One Pot Creamy Garlic Noodles

I've seen a lot or one pot pasta recipes on Pinterest lately.  I even tried a few.  Then I cam up with one all on my own.  My daughter loves noodles.  I was trying to come up with a different way of making them since we were all a little tired of macaroni and cheese. This recipe is so fast!  Plus it can easily be jazzed up for grownups or left simple for the kiddos.  And it really does only take one pot!

Ingredients:
8 oz of thin spaghetti or angle hair noodles
2 cups of chicken broth
2 tbs of butter
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Place a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Melt butter and add garlic. (I love using those little frozen garlic cubes.)  Saute butter for a minute or two, then add the chicken broth.  As soon as it begins to simmer add the noodles.  I used angel hair this time but I actually like the thin spaghetti a little better.  I find that it doesn't "gum up" as much.  If you use angel hair cook for about 3 minutes.  If' you use the thin spaghetti it takes about 6 minutes.  Stir every minute or so.  If the pasta absorbs the liquid too quickly you can add a little more broth.  After 3 (or 6) minutes, reduce heat to low and stir in milk and parmesan, again if it starts to get clumpy or is too thick you can add a little more broth to thin it out. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.  I like to add cherry tomatoes and a little basil and sometimes a little rotisserie chicken, but you can get creative with your toppings.

It's nice to have a fast go to dinner or lunch for your little ones (and big ones) and I promise, you won't be disappointed!

A few spring touches in my dining room

Hello Friends...

I haven't had much time to post lately.  We've had a rough time with sick kids lately.  Lily Claire is still recovering from her unexplained fevers and is on antibiotics for a sinus infection and bronchitis. Miss Ella had a cough and complained her ears hurt so I took her to the doctor yesterday and it turned out to be pneumonia.

One thing I have been able to do is some pretty heavy spring cleaning.

We also got new windows!  It's really amazing what a huge difference they make.

A few fresh flowers, a little extra light from the new windows and some heavy dusting, and my dining room is feeling light and fresh.

I hope your week is off to a better start than mine.  Thanks for stopping by!