Catz in the Kitchen - Finding love around the table.

Weekly Menu for the Week of Sep 16

September 15, 2019 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Hello from rainy Molalla, Oregon! As I type this, I’m curled up with a blanket around me, my slippers on (with socks), and I’m wearing my favorite sweatpants and cozy sweatshirt. Brr…I’m cold!

I hope you all had a really wonderful weekend! Did you do anything fun? We drove down to Central Oregon to surprise a friend for her birthday – one of Matt and Lisa Jacobson’s daughters (of FaithfulMan.com and Club31Women.com) – we had so much fun, all dressed up, eating the most delicious food. Lisa made this scrumptious Autumn Roasted Vegetables dish and Matt barbecued the most succulent lamb roast, while I brought an autumn chopped salad and Texas Sheet Cake for dessert.

We attended the Jacobson’s home church fellowship on Sunday before heading home – a beautiful time with a wonderful group of families worshipping the Lord and spending time getting to know everyone more. But then we headed home and that meant heading into rain and clouds! But it always feels good to be home after being away. I have to say, even when we were coming home from Maui, it still felt good to walk back through our door and be home. Always a good feeling, I think….

Grilled Shrimp Scampi

September 12, 2019 By Joshua Rief Leave a Comment

This recipe for grilled shrimp scampi couldn’t be easier. A few ingredients for a quick marinade, followed by about five minutes on the grill – delish!

Okay, first of all, let’s just be clear about something. I am aware that the crostini is burnt. I really tried not to burn it, and in my defense, some of it was actually quite edible. Some of it. You might even say most…no, not most. Just some. I’ve just been training myself to cook on lump charcoal, and suffice to say when it gets hot, it gets hot. I’ll work on it.

Grace and Christian were so innocently rubbing the unburnt crostini with cut garlic cloves, snacking on the occasional piece, trying to stop Ruby from stealing too many…next time, I think I’ll do one of two things. One, I may move all of the charcoal to one side, and grill the crostini over indirect heat. Two, I may just toast them in the oven. We’ll see how it goes. …

Summer Squash Caprese Salad

September 4, 2019 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

A late summer salad that is simple, healthy, colorful, and easy to make for crowds? That’s where this summer squash caprese salad comes in! I love good cooking. I mean who doesn’t, right? I appreciate people who understand flavors and enjoy creating beautiful dishes…and then there is, of course, the eating of said dishes. I…

Oven Barbecue Chicken

August 28, 2019 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

As back to school season sets in, baking up some of this oven barbecue chicken is a great, easy way to hang on to the flavors of summer! One of the things I always find myself missing after summer has departed and the cold weather sets in and it seems no longer feasible to grill…

This one pan sausage dinner recipe includes lots of bright, flavorful, and healthy summer vegetables, and it's easy to prepare - just chop those veggies!

One Pan Sausage with Summer Vegetables

August 21, 2019 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

This one pan sausage dinner recipe includes lots of bright, flavorful, and healthy summer vegetables, and it’s easy to prepare – just chop those veggies! I feel really badly that we haven’t taken the kids to our Farmer’s Market yet this season. It’s one of our favorite things to do with the kids, but this…

Smoky Grilled Potato Wedges

July 23, 2019 By Joshua Rief 4 Comments

This recipe for smoky grilled potato wedges is a fun and flavorful alternative to French fries that compliments any grilled meal! This recipe originally appeared on Catz in June 2014. Since then, we’ve remade and rephotographed it, and it’s simply too good and too easy not to share again! I will sheepishly admit that I forgot to season these…

I've always loved the idea of macaroni salad, but never found one that excited me. This easy, preppable recipe does - for me it is the best macaroni salad!

The Best Macaroni Salad

July 18, 2019 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

I’ve always loved the idea of macaroni salad, but never found one that excited me. This easy, preppable recipe does – for me it is the best macaroni salad! Anytime somebody makes a claim that something is “the best” I’m sure we all just shake our heads a little and think, “The best. Really? What makes…

Devil’s Food Cupcakes

July 10, 2019 By Eden Rief 1 Comment

Kids can bake, too! 10-year-old Eden shares her experience baking and decorating these indulgently delightful Devil’s Food Cupcakes from scratch! Hi! I’m Eden, and I am so excited to share a post with you! I am ten years old, and second oldest of my three siblings. Ever since I started reading Cupcake Diaries (my new…

Weekly Menu for the Week of Sep 9

September 9, 2019 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

I don’t know about where you guys are all at, but it is definitely feeling like fall here in the PNW. It rained all weekend. When I saw the forecast, I refused to believe it. But then the weekend was filled with rain showers, and after church and a few errands on Sunday I welcomed my sweatpants. I was cold, guys!

Eden had her belated birthday party for a few hours on Saturday and she had so much fun. I have to call out Grace because she was the real MVP of the party. She kind of took over everything. She organized lunch – which was our English Muffin Pizzas (the kids all made their own), made sure all the games got played and were running on schedule, took an interest in all the girls…and made the birthday cake, which was this one by The Pioneer Woman! Josh and I barely had to do anything – except a few dishes and a little supervision.

This is a big week in our home because we’re celebrating another birthday. Ruby turns two this month, and I just cannot even believe it! Ruby is such a delight in our household – all the kids love her and she is constantly amazing us with how smart she is. In the car the other day she counted to 20…I mean, she did miss a few numbers (she has something against 14), but can get there without too much trouble and starts the counting all on her own. We’re excited because this week we can finally turn her carseat around and I think she’s really going to like seeing out the window. If I had to ride backwards I would for sure get carsick……