Blog Posts

A Week of Dinners

Our days are full of questions like, “How much gas is in the car?” or, “Are these jeans clean?” or even, “Where’s my phone charger?” Of all the questions we need to answer during the day, “What’s for dinner?” is certainly one of the most ominous! Dinner comes every night but somehow it gets harder and harder to think of what to eat each night. Well, we’ve got five answers here to help you out! Monday: To start off the week, try this One Pan Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Vegetables dish from The Recipe Critic. The site says it “will be one of the best one pan meals you ever make. The tender and juicy baked chicken have the best crispy parmesan garlic coating and the veggies are full of amazing flavor!” Tuesday: Next up is this Chicken Spaghetti from the Pioneer Woman. She says, “This really is a fabulous casserole, and the only one in existence that Marlboro Man, our cowboys, and my children will eat. It’s officially called Chicken Spaghetti....There is a lot of ‘stuff’ in this casserole, but the way I ensure widespread acceptance and bliss by those I serve it to is to keep everything diced very small and to season it adequately.” Wednesday: Mid-week you might be craving something a little more exciting. Try this Taco Mac Casserole from Mostly Homemade Mom. The site says, “This casserole is something I've been making since we were first married. It makes a lot, it's filling, and it's cheap. Not to mention that every time I make it, Paul announces it's his favorite meal! I believe one of my relatives/friends gave this recipe to me at my bridal shower. Either way, this one's definitely a keeper for us.” Thursday: For something a little lighter tonight, try this Butternut Buddha Bowl from Earth Powered Family. “Butternut squash has such a lovely sweet flavor, autumn in every way. It’s the base and inspiration for this fall Buddha Bowl. The creamy sauce ties everything together and makes it even more delicious. Such a yummy dish for a cool and busy fall night.” Friday: You’ve made it to the weekend! Tonight, try this cozy dish. This recipe for One Pot Beef Stroganoff comes from Taste and Tell. “Comforting and humble, this One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff is full of beefy flavor. And there is only one pot to clean up after dinner!” Enjoy these dinners this week! Thanks for reading.

January New Releases

Chilly winter evenings can be warmed up by going to the theater! They are a great way to stay cozy and catch a new flick, even outside of your apartment in Fife, WA. A movie paired with a fizzy soda and buttery popcorn? It doesn’t get better! Read on for some movies coming out this month. Hidden Figures (January 6th) — Three brilliant African-American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) -- serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world. Underworld: Blood Wars (January 6th) — Vampire death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) must fend off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice. Sleepless (January 13th) — An undercover Las Vegas police officer (Jamie Foxx) must race against time to save his kidnapped son from a crew of murderous gangsters. Live By Night (January 13th) — It's the Roaring `20s and Prohibition hasn't stopped the flow of booze in an underground network of gangster-run speakeasies. The opportunity to gain power and money is there for any man with enough ambition and nerve, and Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston Police superintendent, long ago turned his back on his strict upbringing for the spoils of being an outlaw. But even among criminals there are rules, and Joe breaks a big one: crossing a powerful mob boss by stealing his money and his moll. Patriots Day (January 13th) — In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, police Sgt. Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and other investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the suspects. We hope you enjoy one or all of these new releases! Thanks for reading Port Landing blog!

Organize Your Year

365 days is a long time, but how many of us find ourselves wishing for just a few more hours in the day? Take a few moments at the beginning of the year to plan out your year! It might seem frivolous, but when the time comes, youll be happy you planned ahead. Get a cheap calendar from the dollar store and plan out big events, including upcoming weddings, birthdays or vacations. Purchase gift wrap, greeting cards, or other items you might need when those events approach that way you will always have these items on hand for wrapping gifts, and you wont be purchasing them every time a birthday comes up. If you have tropical vacations planned for the year, winter is a great time to find bargains on swimsuits and summer clothes. Look up hotels and flights. Purchasing in advance is a great way to save money. You can even mark a date on the calendar to begin looking up these things. Make budgets for monthly purchases and try to foresee large payments you might need to make. Does your car need tires? An oil change? Are you planning a move? Plan out these events in the calendar as well. If youve been meaning to clean out your closet or start a big project in your home, plan this as well. Looking at your year as 365 separate days is a great way to start to get things done and checked off your list! Mark doctor and dentist appointments on the calendar as well so they dont get forgotten. Mark when school starts or when you have time off work. Keeping track of these days will ensure you dont forget big events and you are always prepared when they approach. We hope these tips help you have a less stressful year. What are your tips for staying ahead of the game? Let us know in the comments!

Reaching Your Goals

We’ve all got resolutions for 2017. Some people might want to be more healthy, drink less soda, take more pictures or try an art class. For those who are resolving to start writing more, whether in a journal or otherwise, these tips can help. Writing everyday can be a helpful way to reflect on your day, things you need to accomplish, and dreams you want to achieve. Journaling doesn’t have to be a life story or autobiography at the end of every day. You can journal your travel experiences, a specific event in your life you want to remember, or a change you’ve gone through. Writing down random stories are a great way to preserve your memories for the future. For those who like to keep it short and sweet, we like the idea of a Bullet Journal. These tips from Pretty Practical by Emory can help you out if you don’t know where to start. She says this about bullet journaling: “The whole system is built on something called rapid logging. The first step is to title and number your pages. The title is a short description of what will be [on] the page. It may even just be a date. And get in the habit of numbering your pages and filling in your index as you go.” We think writing and reading go hand in hand. If you want to be good at one, do more of the other! You’ll learn new words and how to use them. Single Mom’s Income gives some general tips on improving your writing here . She says, “My advice would be that you should just write. Record all of your thoughts. After that go back and edit.” So whether you’re making a grocery list or recording an experience you want to remember, just write and write and write. Write as often as you can. Get your thoughts on paper. You can go back and edit after wards. Happy writing! Let us know about the best bookstore in Fife in the comments.

Holiday Treat Recipe

Last week, we mentioned some ideas for performing acts of service for others. If you just can’t think of what to do for a friend or neighbor, we think a plate of these treats would do the trick! Make a batch for yourself, too, because we can guarantee that you’ll want a taste! This recipe from Self Proclaimed Foodie is a classic winter cookie recipe. Shaped just like the classic candy cane, these peppermint flavored treats are sure to find a way into your heart (and tummy!). INGREDIENTS 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons peppermint extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 drops red food coloring 1/2 cup decorating sugar (red, white, your choice but large crystals work best) INSTRUCTIONS —In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside. —In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape the sides, add the granulated sugar and powdered sugar and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, another 2-3 minutes. Scrape sides again and add the egg yolks, peppermint extract and vanilla , beat on low speed until well combined. —With the mixer running on low speed, spoon in the flour and salt mixture until all of the dry ingredients have been added and fully combine. Do not over mix. —At this point, remove half of the dough and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. If you're a perfectionist, you should have about 28 ounces total, so you'd want to take out about 14 ounces of the dough. Add food coloring to remaining dough in bowl and mix just until the color has evenly blended in. Add the red dough to a separate piece of plastic wrap. —Shape both dough balls into a square that's about 5-6 inches in length. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight (or longer if you're making them ahead of time). —Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat. —Roll each dough to a 9x9 inch square, then stack them on one another and roll to seal them together. Cut the dough down the center and refrigerate both halves. After the dough has chilled a bit, after maybe 15 minutes, take out one of the halves and start cutting short strips that are about 1/4 inch thick. Roll each strip to lengthen and slightly twist at the same time. Roll in decorating sugar and then lay out on baking sheet in the shape of a candy cane. —Bake until just slightly brown on the bottoms, 13 to 15 minutes. Rotate your baking sheet half way though if your oven doesn't bake evenly. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Continue baking process with remaining dough, keeping it cool until ready to bake (otherwise your cookies expand too much). —Store in airtight container and segregate from other cookies as the peppermint flavor will transfer Head to the site here for a step-by step guide on how to make them look just like candy canes! As mentioned previously, this is a great recipe to make and bring to friends or someone who might just need a little pick-me-up. Remember to drop some off for your friends in Fife, WA once you’re done baking these delicious treats!

Acts of Kindness

It’s a busy time of year with plans and decorating and packing and traveling and parties. Taking time out of your day to help another person might feel like a burden, but we’re certain you’ll feel the holiday spirit as you help others. You don’t have to go out of your way and plan a meal for your neighbors or rake all the leaves from someone’s driveway. At Port Landing at Fife, we’re all about those small acts of kindness that leave a big impression. As you look for little ways to help others, you’ll help them have a great day and feel the holiday spirit, too! It’s a chain reaction, and it’s what the holidays are really about. From Barefoot on 45th we found a great list of ideas that will certainly get you thinking. Some of her ideas are: — Online donation to zoo for an artificial tree for a panda — Assemble homeless bags and put in our cars to give out a later time. — Give coupons out to customers waiting to make their purchase at Michaels — Donate children’s pajamas at sleep train for foster children — Buy dog toys to donate from the humane society wish list — Feed parking meters that are close to expiration These little acts of service are a great way to brighten someone’s day. These obviously aren’t just for the holidays, consider serving others at any time of the year. Doing these acts anonymously is a fun way to secretly serve others. But if you do get caught, and the receiver attempts to “pay you back” ask them to pay it forward! This is the notion that service is a ripple effect and can help more than just those involved in the original action. Let us know about your favorite organizations to volunteer with in Fife, WA in the comments.