Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

Looks like we made it! If you have a school-age child, you know exactly what I mean. The first week of school can be just about as hard on the parents as the kids. Everyone’s adjusting their schedules, managing expectations, and still wondering where summer went to.

Now, instead of taking “me” time with coffee and my News feed in the morning, I’m back to making my teenager’s school lunch before she leaves for school at 7:10 a.m.. Yep. I still make her lunch every day. Why? Oh, I don’t know. She’s certainly responsible enough to do it, but it’s one thing during her day I know she’ll enjoy (she’s a food lover just like her mom) and it makes me feel good knowing she’s eating healthy instead of crap from the vending machines. I’m just waiting for her friends to get their drivers licenses when her take-lunch-to-school plans will likely be seriously curbed.

But until then, I’m good with making killer sandwiches each and every morning. (get my tips for making your own here.)continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hi. Hi. Hi. And happy Friday.

Or, at least, a happy Friday to the rascally rodents in my garden who snaked my first, oh-so-anxiously-waiting-for crop of tomatoes. Dag nabbit! At least my tomato TLC is benefitting someone in need. Fingers crossed that will be the last of them.

This is the unofficial last weekend of summer here at the casa de Larsen. School starts on Monday and my teen is not one bit happy about it. Why would she be? Staying up late and sleeping in ’til noon was exactly what I wanted to do at her age too. But then real life had to butt itself into the non-busy summer schedule. And now look. It’s time to crack the whip and get back to it. Rude.

I’ll miss my girl being home with me during the day, but I’m ready to get back to the regular flow of things.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello, and welcome to Friday!

This weekend I’m in stunning Sonoma, CA and Napa Valley, with some of my best and oldest friends in the world. Yep, it’s my real life Wine Country. Eerily, the movie and the characterizations of each of its players hits pretty close to home within our group. Naturally, I’m the chef (who made this killer caprese.)

This group of girls who could barely keep a sorority house clean are now running their own businesses and corporations, advocating for and counseling those in need, educating our youth, and literally saving lives.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello, and happy Friday!

It’s the first Friday in the month of August. Taking a review of my summer bucket list, I am in the dregs. I’ve been to only one outdoor summer concert, two farmers markets (what!), went paddle boarding just one time, spent just a few hours tanning at the pool, and hosted a measly few dinners on the deck, one where the grilled pizza was totally delish.

Guys, I gotta put it in full gear. Summer is going way too fast.

continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello, and happiest of Fridays to you.

Ah. This summer has been the most relaxing summer I’ve had in over 10 years. I’ve taken a load of work off my to-do list and allowed myself to believe, and to know, that it’s okay that I’m not doing it all. I’ve said “no” to opportunities and commitments I usually feel compelled to agree to. I’ve gotten outside more. I’ve cooked for fun. I’ve puttered in the garden. I’ve finished home projects that I’ve ignored for years.

It feels SO good. I love summer.

This weekend I’m continuing with the trend. I’ll be soaking up some sun, working on my golf game, cooking great food for good friends and loving time with my family. Life isn’t always about having more. It’s about being more.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

The sun was showing off with a dazzling sunset display as we walked over the hot, blacktop parking lot to the car. I turned to look at my daughter’s laughing smile, and felt the hot breeze of summer float across my face and seep into my skin.

It’s the exact moment I thought to myself, “THIS. This is summer.”

Summer is remembered by the big experiences. The big trip, the grand adventures, the heat waves that never end. But the other day, my sister said something that I clued into and made me think of memories differently.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

Are you waking up with that post-holiday, all-the-potluck-eats, in-need-of sunburn relief, fireworks-bangin’ hangover? If so, it’s likely you’re also feeling the need to loosen the belt a notch after my mom’s best potato salad (that I couldn’t let the 4th fly by without making at 8 pm last night), burgers, and dogs with a side of leftover sparkler sulfur-ish smell.

Me too. And nothing makes me happier.

Last Friday I talked about taking a phone-free weekend for less temptation to fall down the social media rabbit hole. And guess what? We made it! It was such a great experience with a whole lot more freedom and time to connect one on one. It’s one exercise we’ll be doing when I things are feeling out of balance.

But for now, we are back. So let’s dig into this week’s Friday Faves.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Helloooo and happy Friday everyone!

First off, a warm welcome to so many new readers here on FoodieCrush, where I share recipes like those in my husband’s Father’s Day dinner above (he is a master at the ribeye steak and grilled corn) I hope you’ll love every week. Thank you for being here!

You may be wondering what this non-recipe post is that’s popped into your inbox? Welcome to Friday Faves, where I share a weekly round-up of random items I discover on the web, and where I get to be a little more personal and don’t worry so much about search engine optimization, the perfect photo to illustrate the most delicious recipe, accounting, brainstorming, scheduling, social media promoting, and all the agenda items that go along with running this business we call blogging.

So happy almost-birthday to Friday Faves. Looking back, I think I found the original post here—dating back to July 1, 2011,—where my 15 year old AliSmudge was still just a Smudge of love, and the gorgonzola burger recipe somehow got deleted (must amend that!), and my faves list was a whole lot shorter.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

This summer my goal is to make great memories. And yes, great food too. I have a whole gaggle of recipes to share that I’m loving and know that soon, you will too.

I am already on a roll with my summer memory making with several bucket list items complete! I don’t know…maybe they could count as 5 or ten because we packed in a lot of memories in just a few days.

Last weekend was my Ali Smudge’s birthday (thanks for all her birthday wishes BTW) and on Monday we made a quick trip to Southern Utah. It may have been only three days but we packed in a whole lot of adventure for such a short time. It’s exactly what Utah is famous for.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

If you’ve been a long-time follower here (we’ve been at it for 8 years!) you’ve heard mention of my Smudge. Along with me, you’ve watched her change and grow with each parental request (threat) to be the modeling hands and cute little happy freckled face in some of our favorite blog posts like this, this, and this post with her favorite birthday cake pie.

We christened her with the nickname Smudge while in utero, where she was just a little smudge of love we didn’t know we’d been waiting for all our lives. Her arrival was a game changer, and not the easiest of transitions for a happily-married-and-perfectly-content-to-be-twosome. But she pulled us out of groundhog day and rocked our world in the best of ways. Naturally, she is the center of our universe.

This weekend is our baby’s 15th birthday. Like I was, she’s probably far more excited for her 16th birthday and her driver’s license than for this one. But for me, 15 is a real hallmark, and why it’s making this birthday so hard.

continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

Given I’ve just returned home from a trip to Italy, this Memorial Day Weekend seems somewhat anti-climatic. I mean, I’m ready to heat up the grill for burgers and all, but my taste buds are still on pasta time. I know…such first world problems and I absolutely realize that I am spoiled beyond measure. And I’m relishing every second of this life I get to live.

This weekend marks the beginning of the big slow down. Work travel is over for the next few months, Ali Smudge finished her freshman school year yesterday, sunshine and sunscreened days at the pool are in my sights, and I am ready so ready to languish in the lazy days of summer. I haven’t yet officially made my summer bucket list, but it sure looks a lot like this one, but with more golf dates with my husband added in.

One of my main goals this summer is to recharge my batteries and become more productive because of taking time away. I’ll probably be talking more about this later if you’re interested…continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Buongiorno and happy Friday!

As you’re reading this, I am hopefully whizzing my way along the Amalfi Coast, riding in a convertible Fiat with the wind in my Italian-sun kissed hair. Or maybe I’m in a random European sedan or passenger van. Either way, I’m totally okay with my mode of transportation because I am in Italy.

I’m here on a brand trip with DeLallo Foods, touring their pasta-making factory. If you’re a long-tine reader of FoodieCrush, you know I’ve worked with DeLallo for many years. If you’re new here, welcome, and check out some of my recipes with DeLallo here. DeLallo is a true-blue Italian import company and man, they make some amazing ingredients for delicious dishes.

I’ll be sharing more of my adventure over on Instagram stories, where this week, after 7 years of showing off my daughter and dearly departed dog Chewy, I finally changed my original profile picture. Wow. I’m really making progress over here :). And if you’re looking toward making a trip to the Amalfi coast, my friend Ali has a great Amalfi coast travel itinerary.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Mother’s Day Friday!

It seems silly to think there would be just one day of the year to celebrate our mothers. It should be an honor to celebrate moms every day. Moms are the ties that bind, the motivating force to push us past our limits, the guide that keep us in line, and the cheerleaders that keep us going toward the heights we never thought we could reach.

Or is that just my mom?continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Indian Butter Chicken and Friday Faves

Ready in under 45 minutes, this Indian butter chicken is an easy weeknight dinner recipe your family will gobble right up!

There is a glaring omission in the recipe repertoire of FoodieCrush which I am in the process of remedying as we speak. Chicken. Simple, easy and basic chicken.

While this recipe for Indian butter chicken tastes far from basic, it’s one I really can’t forget to share and is so simple to bring together that it works great as a weeknight meal. Even the picky kids will love its creamy, tomato flavor. Well, minus those pesky peas of course.

I’m such a fan of chicken thighs. I know, everyone boasts about the virtues of boneless chicken breast but where’s the flavor? It’s all in the thighs, people.

What other veggies I could throw into the butter chicken mix. Broccoli? Mmm, maybe. Carrots for sure. Mushrooms are an absolute yes, but I love mushrooms. Maybe even zucchini? Mmmm, I think so.

What is Butter Chicken?

If you’ve never tried Indian butter chicken before, I’m so sorry. Because you’ve been missing out your whole life!

Essentially, butter chicken is a creamy chicken dish that’s made with a spiced tomato sauce. As the name suggests, it’s made with a healthy amount of butter and heavy cream. It’s not super spicy, but you’re welcome to amp up the heat if desired.

What’s in This Butter Chicken?

Most of the ingredients needed for this easy butter chicken recipe are spices and other aromatics. You may have to buy a few for this recipe, but they can all be used in lots of other recipes too.

For this Indian butter chicken, you’ll need:

Vegetable oil
Butter
Onion
Spices
Tomato paste
Tomato sauce
Bay leaf
Cream
Chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
Frozen peas
Lime
Fresh cilantro

How to Make Butter Chicken

To make this Indian butter chicken, first cook the diced onion in a little olive oil and butter until translucent. Add the spices to the skillet and continue cooking until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and sauce, along with the bay leaf.

Slowly stir in the cream, then bring to a boil before turning down the heat and simmering for 5 minutes.

In a separate skillet, cook the diced chicken in a buttered and oiled skillet until it’s brown on all sides. Transfer the chicken to the tomato cream sauce and continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink on the inside.

Add the peas and remaining butter to the sauce and continue cooking until the peas are heated through. Serve the butter chicken over basmati rice, then garnish with lime and cilantro.

Is There a Cream Substitute I Can Use?

If you’re trying to make this butter chicken recipe a little healthier, you may be able to use full fat plain Greek yogurt in place of all or part of the cream. I’ve never made this recipe as such, but you can give it a shot. Let me know if you make it this way!

Can I Prep This in Advance?

As with most recipes, Indian butter chicken is best the day it’s made, but leftovers reheat well thanks to the tomato cream sauce. If you have leftovers or want to meal prep this recipe, I recommend reheating it in a saucepan with the lid on to prevent the chicken from drying out.

Depending on how much sauce you have left over, you may need to add a splash of cream to the pan as well to loosen up the leftover chicken.

Tips for Making Indian Butter Chicken

If you only have chicken breasts on hand, go ahead and use them in this easy butter chicken recipe. Thighs have the most flavor though, I’m telling you!

If you prefer spicy Indian dishes, you can add a dash of cayenne to this recipe. A little goes a long way, so be careful.

Finally, you can add in lots of other veggies to this butter chicken, if desired. I kept things super simple with frozen peas, but pretty much any vegetable tastes divine in the tomato cream sauce.

More Easy Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats

5 from 4 votes

Indian Butter Chicken

Ready in under 45 minutes, this Indian butter chicken is an easy weeknight dinner recipe your family will gobble right up!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword butter chicken

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
4 tablespoons butter divided
1 onion diced
3 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
2 cups heavy cream
1 pound boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup frozen peas defrosted
½ lime
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

In a large, high-sided skillet or 6-quart pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until translucent.
Add garam masala, ground ginger and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce and bay leaf and cook for 2 minutes.
Add cream, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, season chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned on all sides.
Transfer chicken to tomato cream sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Add peas and remaining butter to sauce and cook until peas are warmed through and butter is melted. Garnish with lime and cilantro leaves and serve with basmati rice.

This week started off slightly off-kilter thanks to a flu bug that will keep me from enjoying Mexican food again for a good long while. Such a shame.

Thanks to this bug-imposed cleanse, I spent the entire day of Monday bed-bound which gave me the chance to catch up on all residual episodes of the new season of Real Housewives of OC plus reruns of BH and Atlanta. Sometimes you just need to let your mind not think. Which makes a perfect match with anything on Bravo. I heart Bravo.

After a full day mind-suck filled with 4-inch heels and plenty of contrived circumstances (shockingly placed hand to heart as my jaw drops at just the right banal beat) I balanced out the vixen-fest with my DVR’d episodes of Dr. Oz.

I find myself intrigued with his cheesy visuals of fat expanding in the body or how the liver detoxifies that circle the really good, solid health information he actually delivers. Even if my husband says it’s more like an informercial and some of it simply isn’t pretty. I on the other hand, can’t keep from perusing through each and every episode.

On Monday my husband was at my sick side as we watched Dr. Oz interview Joe Cross about his documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and witnessed his wicked juicing ways.

By Wednesday I figured I may as well keep the unscheduled cleanse going which resulted in this:

With a swift print of a 20% off coupon for Bed, Bath and Beyond and not much food yet in my stomach, the decision to buy the tricked out 900 Watt Breville Juice Fountain was easily made. My justification was food blogger research —aka tax write-off —and hey, it’s almost Mother’s Day. Plus, I WAS SICK!

We’ll see how long this juicing thing lasts. But with husband on board and his obsession with cucumber juice in full swing with a 7-iron in hand as we speak, this Very Green Juice with kiwi and cucumber is at the top of the weekend’s recipe list. After we get our tomatoes planted.

Friday Faves

If they would have taught music history like this I may have actually stayed awake because I would have been singing and along.

In for the save! An on-demand aka printable Mother’s Day card that’ll get you that extra piece of pie.

A future contender on The Voice and she’s only eleven years old. Proud to say she’s a Utahn too.

My mom and Oprah told me I should read this book about loss and healing through inner strength. And a lot of hiking boots.

Schmooze or lose: a lesson in business that doesn’t have to be cheesy. Unless, like me, you love cheese.

After perusing blogs heavy on photos of cupcakes, chicken wings and barrels of pasta, I sometimes like to lose myself in these short stories that bring me along on the journey of two brothers in search of simple adventures.

Have you fallen victim to fellow diners who always want to split the meal but then stiff the tip? This free tip calculator app lets you leave the table still as friends and with your head held high.

I am such a bath whore, savoring my nightly ritual no matter what time I go to bed. These DIY bath salts will make my soak that much more stellar.

My dream Mother’s Day brunch if I wasn’t going out: Salmon Salad Sandwich with Avocado Mayo, Rhubarb Floats and finish it off with Lemon Pound Cake.

Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.

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As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

Last Friday I returned home from Cincinnati where I attended Kroger’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste event with Master Chef Graham Elliott. It was my third year attending the event and I was a whole lot more relaxed this time around. Unlike the first year where my husband and I were in a sweating-it-out-in-the-kitchen-stride competition with local chefs to create an on-the-fly dish made with rescued ingredients that had been delivered to Cincinnati’s local food pantry, and then make enough to serve 250 at the evening’s big Zero Hunger Zero Waste event hosted by Kroger, this year I was in an attendee-only mode.

Whew. That’s just one reason I was honored to attend, meet Chef Graham Elliott, and learn more about how we can each make small changes that add up to big differences.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

It’s spring, and the blooms on the trees and sprouting from the ground are proving it. Is it weird to fall in love with flowers? Because I have, and I’ve fallen hard. I’ve always loved flowers. Outdoors. Indoors. Flowers, flowers, give me flowers everywhere.

Lately I’ve been finding so much joy in buying one or two grocery store bouquets and re-making them into something that looks like some of my favorite flower-arranging artists. Having a few hostessing duties like bridal showers brunches and Easter dinners (my au gratin potatoes above are always the BEST!) have given me the perfect excuse to keep my new flower-making happiness habit going strong.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy almost Easter Friday!

Here it is another Friday and all I can think about instead of getting things done is what would taste so good for Easter brunch (because last weekend’s bridal shower brunch was pretty amazing) and why is work taking me so long and the lessons I need to remember from my golf lesson and I need to get my flowers planted but what if it freezes after I do and why is this post taking me so long to finish?

Could it be it’s because I’m an adult female who deals with balancing family-life and work-like and hormones and pleasing others and what the heck is going on with Kim Kardashian’s sinks and probably adult onset ADHD all within the span of 30 minutes?

That’s it. I’m done. I’m making this my new mantra: When you’re working, be at work. When you’re not working, stop working.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello hello and happy Friday!

As any mom of a teenager will tell you, the best time to learn what’s really going on in their lives is in the car. It’s one reason I’m always willing to be the after-school driver to get boba tea or shuttle to and fro from mall excursions or basketball practices. But most of those times are spent with Ali Smudge and her pals, so when I get some one on one in the car with my girl, that’s when we really get to visit, especially when I banish the use of her phone.

I’ve become more and more aware of how much time we all spend on our phones. One study, commissioned by Nokia, found that, as of 2013, we were checking our phones on average 150 times a day. But we touch our phones about 2,617 times.

WHOA. That was way back in 2013. Imagine how it’s gone up since then.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hi there friends, and happy Friday!

Since I’ve moved my home office into a new room of the house, I’m finding myself working more consistently (the laundry can wait!) and being more productive with my head down and fewer distractions. Kudos for that! And while I enjoy the silence of a quiet house where the only sounds are the hum of the furnace and the click clack of my puppers paws on the upstairs floor, I’m also listening to more music as I work at my desk.

At first I was skeptical of the hype, but the more I listen to this album, the more I totally get lost in it. I can’t stop listening because it’s so easy to listen to. It’s her lilting voice but also the lyrics that drift into my consciousness without drilling them into my brain.

“Even if you got somebody on your mind, It’s alright to be alone sometimes, sometimes.”

That line begs the question I think of a lot: Why is it that so many of us can’t be alone?continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday!

If you ever doubted, jet lag is real. And depending on how you look at it, my jet lagged REM state is either benefitting from the time change or become a victim to it because this girls dreams have become vivid with a capitol V.

And now Kanye West is following my daughter on Instagram.

My jet lagged dreams have been both good and bad. And because they’re still dreams, they don’t always make sense.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello! (Bonjour!) and happy Friday! (joyeux Vendredi!)

I’m writing from gay Paris where we are spending the week for my daughter’s spring break. Months ago I found cheap air fare thanks to this site I follow, so I jumped at the opportunity and my man and my baby jumped for joy too.

It’s the first time we’ve been to Paris and we have quickly become just as enamored of this city as everyone else who has ever visited. It truly is a special place and has captured our hearts.

Do you want to see a wrap-up of our visit so you know where to get these pancakes and more? If so, leave a comment below and let me know.

We have a lot more sight seeing and baguette eating to fit in so I’m going to go straight to this week’s list of faves. If you want to follow along on our adventure, follow me on Instagram and check out my InstaStories for daily updates.

Let’s dig into this week’s Friday Faves.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy luck o’ the Irish Friday!

Somewhere under that pile of veggies and pickling spices is a rump of corned beef waiting to be slow cooked with cabbage. Since we’ll be on a plane this St. Patrick’s Day (bonjour Paris!) I HAD to make my corned beef and cabbage before we left. Per usual, it was all a ruse for leftovers for my favorite rueben sandwiches. So. Dang. Good.

I updated my corned beef and cabbage recipe post this year to include instructions for both the crock pot and the Instant Pot, plus a link to a free download of my 10 Commandments of Slow Cooking. Sharing all the secrets and all the goodness all year long.

If you’re in need of a reminder, Sunday is St. Paddy’s day so don’t forget the green. And if you need some luck of the Irish recipe ideas, check out this post here.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello you beautiful people and happy Friday.

Today I’m starting a new habit. It’s not one I’d really planned on or plotted about. In fact it really just came to me as I sat down to write this post.

Each Thursday I wonder what in the world I have to share in this Friday Faves introduction that would be even remotely interesting to anyone. 10% of the time I have stuff. 90% of the time I stare at my blinking curser on the screen, cursing it’s impatience with me because my mind is a blank. Your time is valuable, and so is mine, and I don’t want to bore you because once again I’ve fallen into the trap of spewing about the mundane like talking about how spring has sprung or my how time flies or gee whiz it was a busy week. Bleh.

We’ve been talking about creating habits in this year’s Nourished Planner so maybe that’s why creating habits is top of mind. Or maybe it’s because three of my BFF siblings lost their dad to a heart attack this week. These moments have launched spells of self-reflection, and likely contributed to starting a habit I’ve always intended to ccreate but just never seem to get around to doing.

And it’s an easy habit to start and keep.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello March, and Happy Friday!

Today is the first day of March and all I can say is did February even happen? Sure it was a short month but whew, it flew by. The potted flowers sitting at the entrance to the grocery store have replaced the snow shovels and sleds.

I have to admit, I’m not all that sad about winter lessening it’s chilly grip. Spring skiing in the morning with golf in the afternoon? That’s what’s on my agenda this month.

Every change of season has me wanting to refresh and renew. It’s like I’m in a constant vortex.

continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello my friendlies, and Happy Friday!

And it’s a really good Friday indeed. Because I’m back! Not that I went anywhere, except somewhere in my head that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. But since the beginning of this grand new year, I’ve had a mild case of the blahs. I just haven’t felt quite right, in the groove, or on point. It may be the weather, cabin fever, or maybe just the monotony of mid-life. But I just haven’t felt in my jive.

I highly doubt I’m the only one to feel this way. And I’m extremely lucky to say this emotional slump doesn’t come round very often, hit very hard, or stick around too long.

But I think I’m over the hump. Just like the little engine that could, I’m trying to be patient with myself, and those around me, and work on what I can to improve my mood. And I’m feeling like I’m back into my chugging groove.

To get out of the slump, I’m making sure I’m doing a few small things for me instead of just for others, to make me feel whole, focused, and happy.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello and happy Friday friends, lovers, and life mates!

Who is reeling from their Valentine love hangover? Did cupid find you with his pointy arrow to deliver his love bite? If not, don’t fret. He probably had germs anyway.

As we just about always do, my lover and I laid low with our romancing as the king and queen of hearts. I made him a healthy breakfast (above) knowing our Valentine’s meal of king crab legs and artichokes would be buttery delicious. Just like on New Years Eve, we leave the going out to the amateurs and novices. We always find the food, atmosphere, and the company so much better when we celebrate with dinner at home minus all the hype.

I’m really looking forward to a cloudy, cocooning weekend of cooking for fun, organizing, and a general haze of laze. Because while I love the sun and fun, sometimes this girl just craves some gloom to make the brightness of spring days all that more special when the calendar pages flip again. Am I the only one who feels this way?

But enough about me. Let’s get into the goods of why you’re here and dig into this week’s Friday Faves. continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello hello and Happy first Friday of February!

Re-entry into real life has not been easy. For 10 days my husband and I were beyond fortunate to spend some much needed one on one time thanks to Viking Cruises. We languished, explored, ate ourselves silly, and met some wonderful people while ocean sailing through the Caribbean and West Indies.

Our trip ended on Monday when we tried to fly home from Puerto Rico, but the airline had a hiccup due to a fight on board our inbound plane that had to be turned around and sent back to Orlando, causing us to miss our connection, so our one travel day turned into two.

No big deal, until…continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello, and happy Friday!

It’s been a great week. A really great week. And I don’t know how to tell you how wonderful it’s been because I know so many of you are in the cold and snow while I’m soaking up the sun in the sand. And to those of you who’ve been affected by the government shutdown, I’m rooting for you!

This week we’ve been on a Viking Cruise through the Caribbean and it has been such a good break for me. As a solopreneur, this blogging thing is a hard job to leave at the office, because the job is always with me, and always at my fingertips. There’s always something I feel I should be doing, even when the day is done.

But I must admit, I’m surprised at how easily I’ve been able to disconnect from work. I’ll be going home on Monday and when I do, I’ll be refreshed and ready to dig back into work.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello, hello and happy Friday!

It’s an especially happy Friday for me because it’s my birthday on Monday! One more year down and I’m still kickin’. Sure, it’s a little more achey when I do, and sometimes I can’t remember where I put my boots to kick it up in, but hey, I’m lucky in so many other ways that another wrinkle isn’t going to ruin my day. Or my year!

And this girl is celebrating her birthday in style.

It was just last Friday we were skiing the slopes of Park City’s Deer Valley Resort and eating the BEST lobster rolls right on the mountain (thanks Rime Raw Bar!) and here we are today, in a tropical paradise. I mean, I am literally counting my lucky stars every.single.day.

Last night my husband and I left the snow and cold behind and took the red eye to arrive today in Puerto Rico, readying ourselves to set sail through the Caribbean with Viking Cruises. When Viking asked us to join them on this trip it was a happy coincidence it fell upon my birthday week. And yes, I learned years ago from my best friend Kim that each of these momentous yearly occasions should always be looked at as a birth-week instead of a measly birth-day. Raise your hand with an an enthusiastic HECK TO THE YES!continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

Hello hello and what a happy Friday it is!

We’re here. We’re alive. We have money for food on the table and an internet to scan for the links we love. There’s so much big, heart wrenching stuff going on out there that focusing on the little things that matter are a real source of joy.

We’re nearly two weeks into the new year and I’m still committed to my NY resolve and eating more plants (this avo toast has been breakfast every.single.day), getting more sleep, and keeping my inner and outer critic in check.

Life is a work in progress. Last week I talked about how I’ve always believed I was a good multi-tasker until I was called out as simply being a procrastinator.

Well, yesterday I read this article that is 100% how I feel 99% of the time. Decision fatigue, where “people’s brains get worn out by the necessity of being decisive and exercising restraint, usually at work.”

Is decision fatigue a real thing? I 100% think so, because I live it, and too often I feel just like Gloria who is quoted about completing personal chores, “Instead of doing it, I’m thinking about all the times I should have been. So I end up kind of catatonic over not doing stuff instead of doing that stuff.” Hand to heart, that’s me.

It’s another supporting reason why I chose my word of 2019: DO IT.

continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves

Friday Faves

What is Butter Chicken?

What’s in This Butter Chicken?

How to Make Butter Chicken

Is There a Cream Substitute I Can Use?

Can I Prep This in Advance?

Tips for Making Indian Butter Chicken

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Indian Butter Chicken

Ingredients

Instructions

Friday Faves

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