lifestyle

Mother’s Day Gift Guide to Santana Row 2017

 in General Fashion / Shopping  tagged happy mothers day / holiday gift guide 2017 / holiday gift ideas / jest jewels / kendra scott / kit and ace / lifestyle / local shops / santana row / vera bradley by

It is that time of year again! Time to find that perfect somethin’ somethin’ for Mom. Well, there is no reason to stress out over finding the perfect gift for Mom this upcoming Mother’s Day. Santana Row, once again, has you covered.

First off, Mom should not have to cook on Mother’s Day. Thankfully, Santana Row has several fabulous restaurants to bring Mom to, so she can enjoy a meal prepared by someone other than herself. If you are seeking the perfect Mother’s Day brunch, Left Bank or Village California Bistro will have the perfect brunch for Mom on her special day. For the Mom who loves pasta, I highly recommend Maggiano’s. Perhaps Mom wants something a little more upbeat? Blowfish Sushi is the place to take her; and be sure to order the Pyramid of Tartare and the Ritso Roll. Yummy!! Mother’s Day at Santana Row restaurants is popular, for obvious reasons, so be sure to make a reservation through Open Table in order to ensure you won’t have to wait for a table.

If you are seeking more casual dining options, I highly recommend Tacolicious or Veggie Grill. YUM! When it is time for dessert, Smitten Ice Cream or Cocola will warm Mom’s heart; and satisfy her sweet tooth.

Has life been a little stressful for Mom lately? Why not treat her to a spa day at Burke-Williams Spa! She will LOVE it!

Of course, treating Mom to a yummy meal, and relaxing spa day, are both fabulous things to do, but you will still want to treat her to something special she can open when she wakes up in the morning on Mother’s Day. So I put together a Mother’s Day Gift Guide to Santana Row so you can rest assured you have found her the perfect somethin’ somethin’ for her special day. Oh, and if my kids or husband reads this; take notes! Hint, hint 😉

Kit & Ace

Kit & Ace is a fabulous men’s and women’s shop on Santana Row which offers high tech cashmere and fabrics. They have clothing which is machine washable; so perfect for the busy Mom who does not have time to run back and forth to the dry cleaners. Love that!

This is the perfect place to find Mom a scarf, jacket, sweater, or closet staple she will reach for every day of her life. Every time she reaches for her Kit & Ace piece, she will think of how fabulous you are! Now how’s that for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. I’m eyeing those scarves; just in case my family is reading this 😉

To learn more about Kit & Ace, please visit their shop on Santana Row..

Jest Jewels

Jest Jewels is the place for finding a unique and special gift for Mom. They have the most beautiful pictures frames. Why not frame a photo which captures a special day or time you and Mom shared? She will love the personal thought, as well as the beautiful picture frame. Jest Jewels also has a section stocked with fabulous Mother’s Day themed gifts. Love the “Home is where you Mom is” mug! Also, these hats are perfect for a relaxing day by the pool, or at the beach, for Mom. Believe me, she needs a relaxing day by the pool or beach! A-hem, if my family is reading this, I want the “Just Chillin” hat. Thank you.

To learn more about Jest Jewels, and see all of their fabulous gift ideas, visit their shop on Santana Row.

Vera Bradley

Speaking of Mom needing to relax, why not head over to Vera Bradley for a vacation themed gift! She would love a travel backpack stocked with a hat, water bottle, and towel for the beach. Vera Bradley has the best poolside, or beach, accessories. I love the fun prints!

Don’t forget to include plane tickets to Hawaii, Jamaica, or any exotic location. If you prefer a local, staycation getaway, create your own car trip tickets to Capitola, Santa Cruz, or Stinson Beach. Then, slip your homemade tickets into a beach getaway bag. She will love it! I would like the yellow tote pictured above, and any of the towels; just in case my family is reading this. 😉

To learn more about Vera Bradley, check out their shop on Santana Row or visit their website.

Kendra Scott

All Mothers love Kendra Scott. I repeat, all Mothers love Kendra Scott. You cannot go wrong with something from Kendra Scott. The shop at Santana Row just got in the summer collection, and let me tell you, it is fabulous. Look for these tassel earrings, or the classic Harlow necklace in summer stones and metals.

If you cannot decide, or you don’t see the perfect metal color and stone color combination for Mom, Kendra Scott can fix that for you! They have a “Color Bar” in-store where you can design the perfect ring, necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings for Mom; and they will assemble it right there on-the-spot for you! Love that!

Be sure to check out Kendra Scott’s shop on Santana Row, or visit her website for more information.

If you really cannot decide what to get Mom for Mother’s Day, it’s OK. Santana Row offers gift cards, in any denomination of your choice through the concierge, or online here.

For more information about Santana Row, please visit SantanaRow.com

Happy Mother’s Day!

*brought to you by Santana Row, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Homemade chicken soup recipe

 in Entertaining  tagged cathys original recipes / home / lifestyle / recipes / soups by


Looking for leftover chicken recipe ideas which are family friendly? Then you found one idea! This is a homemade chicken soup recipe I made up myself one day while brainstorming what to make for dinner with leftover chicken.

When I cook, I always have to make sure it is something both my husband, and my kids, will enjoy. My husband likes spicy food; and my kids? Well, not so much. So I designed this soup to have a little bit of kick to it, without turning off my kids. It worked!

The prep time for my homemade chicken soup recipe takes about half an hour. This includes chopping up chicken, and carrots; which is what takes the most time. If you are running short on time, you can always chop the chicken and carrots ahead of time. This way, all you have to do it toss everything in the pot and cook.

Homemade Chicken Soup recipe with macaroni: (Makes about 12 bowls)

  • 1 lb. dry macaroni (my favorite is Barilla Elbows)
  • 12 cups of chicken broth. (if using cans, this is about 6 cans)
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (this can get spicy fast-season to taste, you may only need a half teaspoon)
  • 1 garlic glove minced
  • 1/4 cup sliced onions
  • Dollop of olive oil
  • 1 full pre-cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cubed (I always use leftovers)
  • 1/2 package of frozen peas or 1 1/2 cup fresh peas
  • 3 chopped carrots
  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook everything together in a large pot except for the Parmesan; which should be placed on the table for everyone to serve themselves. It may take about 20 minutes for the pasta to soften; but start checking at ten minutes. Stove-top heat varies. Once the pasta is soft, the soup is ready to serve since the chicken is pre-cooked.

After putting the soup into bowls and serving your family, top with grated Parmesan cheese. Yummy!!!

I use two teaspoons of Parmesan, my husband uses one, and my daughters use three. My son eats the soup without the cheese. Top with Parmesan cheese to your liking.

There you have it! My homemade chicken soup recipe made with leftover chicken. I hope you enjoy it. The weather is so cold right now, this is a great meal, or starter, for a cold day.

Still  building your kitchen tool collection? Here are a few kitchen essentials you may need for this recipe; and these tools will come in handy multiple times per week while cooking!


Sliced baked potatoes recipe

 in Entertaining  tagged cathys original recipes / holiday recipes / home / lifestyle / recipes / side dishes by

how to serve sliced baked potatoessliced baked potatoes
This is a sliced basked potato recipe I created myself. I found myself always serving mashed potatoes or baked potatoes as a side dish at dinner, so I decided to create a new potato recipe in order to mix things up at mealtime.

My kids are ages 12, 10, and 8; and they really enjoy these sliced baked potatoes. If you have kids, chances are, they will enjoy them too! I hope you love the recipe. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

how to make sliced baked potatoes

Sliced Baked Potatoes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 potatoes
  • 1 stick of butter
  • Olive Oil
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Salt
  • Paprika
  • Garlic

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees with the stick of butter inside the baker in the oven. When the oven reaches about 200 degrees, remove the baker while wearing an oven mitt, and CAREFULLY slice up the butter stick, and then place the pats around the inside of the baker.

Slice uncooked, peeled potatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Spread out the potato slices in the baker on top of the melted butter. I use a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish similar to this one, but anything similar will work fine.

After the potatoes are evenly distributed in the baker, spray olive oil on top of all the potato slices. If you don’t have an olive oil sprayer, you can find the one I own online here. It is amazing, and very handy! You can also find a less expensive sprayer online here.

Season to taste. Sprinkle basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and paprika over the tops of the potato slices. I use about a tablespoon of each; with the exception of the salt. I only use a few dashes of salt. You can delete any one of these seasonings you don’t like. If you have kids who don’t like mild spice, delete the paprika. If you want to kick things up a notch, try adding Cayenne Pepper; seasoned to taste.

sliced baked potato recipe

*Shown with Paprika on the left, no Paprika on the right.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Some of the smaller pieces will start to get crispy, and the larger ones will be soft. I prefer the crispy pieces, and my kids prefer the soft ones. So this is a plus!

potato side dish idea

I hope you enjoy my baked sliced potato recipe. My kids really enjoy it, so I’m happy to share it!

This is a great side dish with steak, salmon, chicken, or anything you like to serve with potatoes! Enjoy!

Happy entertaining!

XOXO

Cathy

Things you might need to make this recipe:

party side dish idea