I’ve been marinading chicken thighs in the morning and then cooking them in time for dinner. Sometimes I’ll cook them around noon and pop the chicken in the fridge. Then at dinner I can just slice it. Especially on something like this. This is totally something you can serve up cold or hot.

Which does mean you could make it for baseball night! It’s a perfect dinner to have in the bleachers. Or if you’ve made the chicken ahead, you can whip up the rest as soon as you walk in the door. Sometimes you just want to eat at home - even after a long baseball game, sometimes especially after a long baseball game.

I’m kind of obsessed with this dinner right now. I even made it for Mr. Hedin’s lunches this week. I think you’ll love it too. Adding the sriracha on the side is a perfect way to zip up dinner for the grown ups.

Fresh Thai Inspired Chicken & Noodles

serves 4

For the marinade:

2 pounds chicken thighs

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 jalapeño, sliced

For the noodles:

7 ounces rice noodles

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sriracha

2 tablespoons reserved pasta water

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

STEP 1

Mix all marinade ingredients into a shallow dish and pop the chicken on top. Flip the chicken around in the marinade to really coat it. Let it rest about one hour or up to overnight.

STEP 2

Preheat the barbecue to medium heat - no hotter than 300 degrees. Pop the chicken on the grill and let it cook slowly. Flip occasionally cooking until it’s done throughout. It takes about 20 minutes.

STEP 3

While the chicken cooks, bring water to a boil. In a small bowl, mix together the sauces for the noodles. Cook the noodles then toss them in the sauce in the bowl. Add the pasta water as needed to keep the noodles from sticking together. I use tongs to pull the noodles out of the pasta water and then I can use them to toss the noodles around. Add the vegetables and toss them in too.

STEP 4

Divide the noodles among four bowls and top with chopped chicken. Sprinkle basil and cilantro across the top. Serve with extra sriracha.

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Basil Martini

Toast your dinner night with a perfectly basil martini - it’s so simple because you barely need any ingredients!

We spend A LOT of time watching baseball. As if it weren’t enough that we spend time watching 12 year olds play baseball, we also seem to watch MLB, college ball, and the occasional t-ball game when we see one at the park. It’s sort of taken things over right now.

So my brain is making way more baseball style meals and treats than any family actually needs. If you are done with family, then sorry - you can just move on and wait until later this week. BUT if you have a kid playing baseball or t-ball, then this is THE PERFECT SNACK!

You will be parent of the year if you do. If there are peanut allergies on the team or concerns of peanut allergies, you can just leave them out. But the parents will think you really went over the top and make things extra special - and after all, isn’t extra special what we’re going for?

When you make these, make sure you check the popcorn so they don’t have kernels. There can be a lot of kernels left with some popcorn and even when the kernels pop, they sometimes leave hard casing parts. Especially if you are serving to children, make sure there is nothing they can choke on!

Cracker Jack Cookies

makes 2 dozen

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup Spanish peanuts

1 1/2 cups popped popcorn (make sure no kernels!)

1 cup carmel bits

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars until creamy and lightened in color.

STEP 2

Add eggs and vanilla and whip until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.

STEP 3

Add in dry ingredients until just barely incorporated.  Then add in the popcorn, peanuts, and caramel bits and mix well.  It’s great if they break up a little bit.

STEP 4

Scoop dough onto a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes until the edges are browned but the center is still light brown.  Let rest 5 minutes on a cookie sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week – but no longer!

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It’s Spring Cocktail Season! The baby showers have begun in earnest, the bridal showers are right around the corner, and soon, we’ll just invite people over to sit on the porch and have a drink. That day is not today because today is pouring down rain and cold. It’s actually gross out. Earlier this week we got a glimpse at what spring will look like and she was perfect. Until then, let’s plan our cocktails and a little dip or something to go with.

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We have had a family beach place as long as I can remember. When my kids were little we spent the entire summer up there with family and had the best time. Not only was it a great way to entertain my kids all summer and have plenty of babysitters around BUT we also made memories. The first part felt more important than the second part at the time. Now I’m so grateful for the second part.

The beach house has become a favorite place for so many of us. My cousin had his rehearsal dinner there, my sister was married there, we’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and LITERALLY every Fourth of July.

Every spring I start craving beach house days. It’s time to be up at the beach, it’s time for no schedule, it’s time for crab cakes and rosè at noon. Join me in dreaming about beach days at the beach house.

Rope Door Stop :: Rechargeable Outdoor Table Lamps :: Sailboat Pillow Cover :: Gray Malin Coastal Book :: Beach Cottage Candle :: Chart Wallpaper :: Signal Flags :: Giant Old Bay Seasoning :: Le Creuset Everyday Pan

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World’s Best Crab Dip

You cannot have a summer cocktail party without the best crab dip you’ve ever eaten!

The combination of lemon and capers is a family favorite. When I was growing up we loved it - and it turns out it’s genetic. This is easily a comfort dinner around our house. The sauce is perfectly pickled with the capers and a little of the caper brine and cut with the lemon zest and butter.

We are a dairy free/dairy light family so I use fake butter when I do this. And then this is a dish that would probably be epic with parmesan cheese. I’ve tried it - it is epic. But it’s not something I can serve our family. If you are a cheese family, blend a little in when you add the spinach and then top with more! You won’t regret it, unless you are dairy free and it wreaks havoc on your system!

Lemon Caper Chicken with Orzo

serves 4

4 chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness (about 2 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup white wine

zest of 1/2 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons capers

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon caper brine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup orzo

2 cups spinach

olive oil

salt and pepper

parsley to garnish

STEP 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove from pan. Don’t worry about cooking through. You’ll do that later.

STEP 2

Lower the heat and melt the butter in the pan and add the flour. Whisk until combined. Pour in the white wine. Whisk until thickened. Add the capers, lemon zest. lemon juice, and stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir.

STEP 3

Return chicken to the pan, keep the heat on low/medium and cover. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. It takes about 20 minutes. While that’s cooking - boil the orzo.

STEP 4

When the chicken is done, remove from the pan. Drain the orzo and toss it into the chicken pan - add the spinach and season with salt & pepper. Pour out into a serving bowl. Slice the chicken and serve it on top. Garnish with parsley freshly chopped.

*optional to top with parmesan cheese!

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A traditional mint julep has muddled mint leaves and bourbon with a little simple syrup. It’s a very boozy cocktail. When I’m making a cocktail for a party, or for day drinking, I usually try to tone down the booziness. So for this, I made a mint-y pink lemonade to mix with the bourbon and take down the concentration of liquor. It also is a great replacement for the simple syrup as pink lemonade is pretty sweet.

The history of the cocktail comes from it being a sweet cocktail combined with an herb. Traditionally a ‘julep’ was used to administer medicine. The word ‘julep’ comes from the Spanish ‘julepe’ which can mean “medicine.” If you’ve had a traditional julep, it’s not hard to imagine medicine hiding in there - it’s a strong drink with strong flavors.

The trick to the Mint Pink Lemonade is to not let the mint steep for too long in the lemonade. Mint will get bitter after a bit - so leaving it for a few hours is perfect, overnight is too long.

This version of a mint julep is a lot less boozy than its origin and makes a great party drink. This is a perfect cocktail to make in a pitcher too! You can serve these for your next Derby party or really anytime you need a summer sipping cocktail!

Pink Lemonade Mint Julep

makes one drink

2 ounces mint infused pink lemonade

1 ounce bourbon

mint to garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine lemonade and bourbon over ice. Shake or stir and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint leaves.

Mint Infused Pink Lemonade

1 cup pink lemonade

6-8 sprigs mint

Rip the mint leaves and add them to the pink lemonade. Let rest in the fridge for at least one hour, but after 6 hours, pull out the mint leaves. They will get bitter otherwise!

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I spend every weekend at the baseball field watching back to back baseball games. And several days a week at the batting cages watching batting practice. I started batting practice by reading a book and now I watch each swing to remind him to keep his front foot down; to keep his head down; to watch his wrists; to compare lengths we think the last ball went. We are a baseball family. I am a baseball mom. So it only seemed appropriate that I try to make America’s favorite snack for America’s favorite pastime. CRACKERJACKS!

It’s basically caramel corn with peanuts. It’s super simple and makes a huge batch so you can take it to your next game - double header - or batting practice - and share it with everyone!

Homemade Cracker Jacks

12 cups air popped pop corn (about 1/2 cup kernels)

1 ½ cups tightly packed brown sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

¾ cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup spanish peanuts

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread popcorn out on a lined baking sheet.  Line with either a sil-pat or buttered parchment paper. 

STEP 2

Place sugar, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.  Cook until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees.

STEP 3

Remove from heat and stir in the popcorn and peanuts. Spread out on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle the top with coarse salt.

STEP 4

Pop into the preheated oven and bake 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until caramel is set. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to one week. 

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I make these muffins all the time. They are super simple and a fan favorite. They are literally the perfect muffin. We often have a big crowd at the beach over the summer and a dozen muffins fills a hole at breakfast. They are also great for menu planning for the week!

I started making these with berries that I had around. Then it turned to fall and I tried it with apples and cinnamon - totally worked great. So I kept trying all of the other fruits that I had on hand. It totally works every time. You cannot go wrong with these muffins! I gave some ideas for mix ins at the bottom so you can see what all of your options are!

Options:

• Apples + 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Blueberries + 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• Strawberries

• Clear out the fridge of all different berries

• Raspberries

• Blackberries + 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Any Fruit Muffin

makes one dozen

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped fruit

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 tablespoons big chunky sugar of your choice

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease the muffin tins. Combine together the flour, sugar and baking powder.

STEP 2

Whisk together the egg, oil, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Then fold in the yogurt.

STEP 3

Add the fruit and carefully stir in. Scoop evenly into the muffin tins.

STEP 4

Sprinkle the top with the crusty sugar of your choice and bake 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

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I grew up on a golf course. I took golf lessons. I live on a golf course. My kids play golf. My grandpa took his best naps watching golf. Golf was on TV every Easter at my grand parents. We’re a golf family. It’s in our blood.

This time of year, when the Masters comes on, I get so excited about golf again. Up until April, there is no way I am playing golf. In Seattle, it’s raining, it’s cold, and the grass is super muddy. But April is the turning point. The weather is getting better! It’s going to be sunny soon! It’s going to dry out soon! My kids will be out of school soon and will golf with me!

It’s time to start thinking of summer golf days. Possibly the best part is shopping for summer golf days. Aside from cocktailing on summer golf days…

Ball Marker “19th Hole” :: Tervis Tumblers :: Bogey Boys Golf Shoes :: Vineyard Vines Golf Shirt :: Disco Ball Golf Balls :: Master’s Hat :: Golf Skirt :: Gold Putter

Last year I discovered that it is perfectly acceptable in the south to put pimento cheese on white bread and call it a sandwich! A SANDWICH! Out of the very best cheese + squishy white bread. Who has been keeping this miracle from me?!

I have a girlfriend who makes a version of this regularly for parties. It’s good, but there was something missing. That’s when I found out she doesn’t use mayo in hers. It’s the mayo that makes it a spreadable delight! And I know there will be discussion about the kind of mayo I choose. I cannot be talked out of my Best Foods mayo. I know there are lots of in the Duke’s camp. And they also can’t be swayed. So you use your mayo that you prefer. Just know that the correct mayo is Best Foods.

I also use a hand mixer when I make this. It feels more authentic. The stand mixer is great. But doesn’t it feel like a good southern kitchen would use a hand mixer instead? And I like to be sure that I don’t over mix this. Using the freshly grated cheese can lead to clumping if you aren’t careful. The hand mixer lets you get in all the corners of the bowl. Which does let you mix it a little easier.

If you’re thinking of using pre shredded, shredded cheese, let me advise against it. Preshredded cheese get a little coating of potato starch or other starch to make sure it doesn’t clump in the package. I think the starch does something weird when you try to mix it all together - the cheese just doesn’t blend right.

At the Masters, they serve pimento cheese sandwiches. This is the most epic way you could possibly serve pimento cheese. But it’s also perfectly acceptable to serve with celery, Ritz crackers, salami - whatever else you like on a charcuterie board. But I can’t tell you how good it is on white bread.

Epic Pimento cheese Spread

2 cups freshly shredded cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces pimento

1/2 jalapeño, shredded

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2-4 shakes Tabasco sauce

STEP 1

Grate the cheese yourself. The combine the mayonnaise, cream cheese, and the grated cheese with a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

STEP 2

Grate in the jalapeño and add the pimento. Mix together.

STEP 3

Add the spices and mix one last time. Spread on white bread or eat with Ritz cracker and celery.

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