And That Makes 3

Three Daughters.

Three Weddings.

Three Sons.

{via}

The final Jewski is taking the plunge! A big hug and many congrats to my sister & her man - let's boogie!

Merry Merry

Family. Laughter. Justin Bieber. The Palm Springs of Washington. Farkel. Good food. Pajamas. Keeping warm by the fire. A Seahawks victory. Cards Against Humanity. Love. Snow. Irish Coffee. Deliciousness.

Sad to see you go, Christmas. Cannot wait to see you in 2013.

Weekend Rewind

Well, my faithful followers, what is the verdict?

Not the best picture, I know, but I'm pretty pleased with the end result. (As a reminder, this is what I was going for.) Added bonus? I was crazy comfortable the entire night. So comfortable, in fact, that bowling happened post-holiday party.

 

 Mr. Malone and I hit up brunch at Salty's on Saturday. Good Lord, how does one choose what to eat?! I cannot wait to go back - not only for the food, but for the view. We were pretty lucky that the rain stayed at bay while we were there.

After brunch, and after changing into sweatpants, Christmas came to the Malone household! No tree yet, but the dining & living rooms are complete.

And the weekend wouldn't have been complete without the Nordstrom holiday party. Mama Jewski and I sipped champagne while racking up the points. Looking forward to a Nordstrom Note (or two!) coming my way!

Enjoy the week, my friends!

Sunday Snapshots

{pulled pork in the crock pot}

{Irish coffee prep}

{Apple Cup}

{Tastes like Christmas}

{can't wait}

Nuts & Bolts

My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the heavenly mixture of Chex cereal, pretzels & peanuts. No, this ain't your mama's Chex mix. I'm talking Nuts & Bolts here, people.

"But Lauren, what about the turkey?" Fuhgeddaboudit!

"Not even pumpkin pie?" Fuhgeddaboudit!

This recipe is so good, it obviously brings out the New Yorker in me.

Do yourself a favor this holiday season - spend a Sunday making multiple batches of this and share with those you love. WARNING: Have dental floss ready.

NUTS & BOLTS

*Via Mama Jewski

1 Tbsp whole mustard seed

1/3 C unsalted butter

1 Tbls Worcestershire

1 Tsp chili powder

1 Tsp cinnamon

5 C Chex cereal (Use any combination you like - I prefer 2 cups Corn, 2 cups Rice and 1 cup Wheat)

1 C salted peanuts, no skins

1 C stick pretzels (Yes, stick pretzels!)

*Put Chex, pretzels and peanuts on an ungreased cookie sheet. Set aside.

*In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter & mustard seed. Keep covered and cook until seeds pop. (This takes awhile. Unfortunately, you need to be patient. It's the perfect time to open a beer!)

*Once the seeds have popped, remove the pan from heat.

*Add Worcestershire. This will steam... be careful!

*Add chili powder to the sauce pan and stir to combine.

*Pour sauce over the cereal mixture and stir gently.

*Sprinkle cinnamon over the cereal.

*Bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10. (Ovens will vary. Check after 7-8 minutes.)

*Let cool completely on paper towels and store in an airtight container. (Tastes even better on day two or three!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sara's Bridal Shower

I like love playing hostess. I really, really do. And with the help of Mama Jewski and my sisters (ok, ok... and Pinterest), we could open a bridal shower business.

My cousin Sara is getting hitched on October 20 - which is also my parents' anniversary. (Fun fact: My parents' wedding was the first wedding Sara ever attended... she was only 19 days old!)

I couldn't be more excited for her - Galen is a wonderful addition to our family and is a great match for Sara! Can't wait to boogie in a few weeks at Melrose Market!

Emily's cupcakes are the best!

Manchego & Almond Covered Grapes. MAKE THEM.

Sara & Aunt J

Congrats, S & G!

DIY: Curtains & Pillows

FINALLY! I have been so slow in getting window treatments taken care of. I knew I wanted to make them at home, but there was one little problem: I have never sewed. Enter Mama Jewski! I'd like to say my mom and I made these together, but really the division was about ninety-ten. (And my 10% consisted of picking out the fabric, ironing said fabric, and removing pins from that fabric like it was going out of style.)

Because I'm feeling a little uninspired in terms of word choice, I'll just leave you fine folks with some before and after photos. Hope you enjoy the end result as much as I do!

Kitchen Window: Before

Kitchen Window: After

Living Room Couch: Before (Ignore my wonky cushions, please!)

Living Room Couch: After

This fabric matches the kitchen curtains - it's like we planned that!

Upstairs Couch: Before

I had to add this because it's so ridiculous. I did actually sew that pillow, though. A small part of my 10%.

Upstairs Couch: After

I love this fabric!

Dining Room Window: Before

Dining Room Window: After (My apologies for the horrible lighting!)

Salad Dressing 101

“Homemade” could be one of my favorite words, especially when it has to do with cooking. (Remember this little ditty?) Sometimes, it is really nice to take the long route when preparing a meal, because more often than not, the end result is that much more delightful. My primary example is pizza. When Mr. Malone and I make pizza, the dough and the sauce are made by yours truly. (You totally want to come over for pizza now, don’t you?!)

Recently, I have been even more inspired to make things myself, as opposed to buying them. This is a great way to save money and it is fun! My most recent endeavor was salad dressing. You may think that salad dressing isn’t that big of a challenge, but I have never had much luck in making one that I wanted to have on hand at all times.

But finally! Mama Jewski came along and told me about a Caesar salad dressing from her Ellie Krieger cookbook. I have never worked with anchovy paste before, and I will admit, I was terrified. I know that most Caesar dressings have anchovy in them, but there was something about the fact that I was willingly adding it that grossed me out! In the end, it was delicious. What I really like about it is the consistency. It is not really creamy, which can be good at times, but for a hot summer day, this lighter version was perfect.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 C pasteurized egg product (Egg Beaters)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 C finely grated Parmesan (Use fresh if you have it)
Salt and pepper

*In a small bowl, whisk together the egg product, garlic, anchovy paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.
*Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking the whole time.
*Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

And there you have it - how easy is that? Whether it's for a side salad, or for a grilled chicken wrap, this dressing is sure to please. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Moms!

Mothers are amazing and I'm fortunate enough to have two! And how convenient that their birthdays fall in the same week, making it oh-so simple to honor them on this thing.

Mama Malone & My Hubby

First birthday of the week: my mother-in-law. I definitely got lucky in the in-law department. My husband's family is large and full of so much love. All of those Irish-coffee lovin' Malones welcomed me with open arms, and I feel perfectly at home with each and every one of them. And my mother-in-law? Amazing. You should see the spread this lady rolls out for special occasions. She goes above & beyond and it's been wonderful getting to know her over the past six years. And, I suppose this is a pretty important factor, she raised my husband... and I think he is swell! (I can hear her giggling at the use of the word "swell," so I think I will use that word more often.) Happy birthday to you, Mama Malone, and thank you for graciously welcoming me into your family - I look forward to many more birthday celebrations in the future!

Mama Jewski & I

Second birthday of the week: my mama, Mama Jewski as she is affectionately called by my college friends. There is not much to say about this woman that hasn't already been said. I mean, she's had to put up with being the mother to three girls for 21 years... I would say that deserves a medal. But in all honesty, my mom rocks. This is a mom who, after I decided to try Jack Daniels for the first time, printed me out information on the dangerous effects of alcohol, even going so far as to highlight key points of the article. She is also the woman who, in an attempt to be "hip" and "with it," would drive around in her VW Beetle with her wrist up on the steering wheel, flashing gang signs to those on the Plateau. See above: my mom rocks! So happy birthday to you, Mama Jewski, and thanks for the being the best darn mom around!