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Alex Masica

Born Free Desktop Wallpaper

July 19, 2015 By Alex Masica Leave a Comment

It’s been a while since I last posted. Around eight months, in fact.

It’s funny how I get so jazzed up to blog, and then, it quickly goes away. I’m not sure if it’s the time it takes to create quality content, the editing process, the blogging part, or the community building part. Maybe it’s a bit of everything.

Nonetheless, I felt inspired today to at least try to create one piece of content I could share. This free desktop wallpaper is what I came up with.

I love the picture of the flower. Paid with born free, I think it’s a great inspirational wallpaper that’ll keep you motivated during your daily life.

Born Free - Free Desktop Wallpaper | Better with Family

Download this picture for:

  • MacBook (new 2015 model)
  • MacBook Air – 11
  • MacBook Air – 13
  • MacBook Pro – 13
  • MacBook Pro – 15
  • iMac – 21.5
  • iMac – 27
  • iMac – 4k

Love it? Don’t forget to share it using the buttons below!

Download this FREE desktop wallpaper to give you extra inspiration. Available for all sizes of MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac!

Filed Under: Graphics

Lemon-Blueberry Bread

November 13, 2014 By Alex Masica Leave a Comment

A few months ago, I switched from shopping at Cub Foods to Trader Joe’s.

Even though shopping at Cub was convenient (being less than two miles from my house), I became frustrated with how expensive fruits and vegetables were, and their lack of quality. I’d buy grapes at $4 per pound, only to have them turn black within two days of getting home. The same thing went for fresh herbs.

The only other times I had shopped at TJ’s were when I lived in Chicago and New York City. I was surprised by how much cheaper my staple items were at TJ’s, and how much longer they stayed fresh. After one shopping experience there, I was hooked and have never looked back. Cub has become my “emergency-only” location for when I don’t have time to run to TJ’s.

A few weeks ago, these fresh blueberries were just STARING me down. So I bought them. When I got home, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them, but ended up making lemon-blueberry bread.

This bread isn’t your loaf of white bread—it’s soft, moist, sweet, and crumbly. The blueberries alone would make it knee-weakening, but the lemon really acts as a nice flavor booster. I made this with and without glaze, trying to decide if it needed any or not. I decided it didn’t, since the lemon and blueberries add enough sweetness to it.

This kept good for the entire week on my countertop inside a Zip-Loc bag. Fall is a great time for making bread (well, actually, any time is really a good time for bread), and this lemon-blueberry bread is a great addition to a meal, or a standalone snack. I had a piece before I made a salad for dinner last week.

Enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Lemon Blueberry Bread

 

Lemon-Blueberry Bread

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Lemon-Blueberry Bread

10 minutes

1 hour, 10 minutes

1 hour, 20 minutes

About 8 Servings

Use fresh blueberries to make this lemon-blueberry bread. It's light, fluffy, and sweet—a perfect addition to any meal as an appetizer or dessert!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups, plus two tablespoons, sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 4x8x2-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a bowl, toss the blueberries in 2 tablespoons flour and set aside.
  3. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon juice, and eggs.
  4. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add the flour and milk alternately to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Fold in the lemon zest, blueberries, and pecans.
  6. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf should come out clean.
  7. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack.
3.1
http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/11/13/lemon-blueberry-bread/

Filed Under: Food

Parmesan Almond Green Beans

November 11, 2014 By Alex Masica Leave a Comment

In LOVE with these parmesan almond green beans.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite vegetables to eat was green beans, but only the French-cut ones. Man, I could’ve eaten can after can of those bad boys. I can’t quite figure out why I liked them so much, but I think it had to do with the fact that they were fun to play with on the dinner plate.

Now, green beans have almost had an inverse effect on me—I can only eat them when they’re in season and prepared with more than just salt and butter.

I ate a ton of green beans over the summer in tossed salads, and they didn’t wow me. They were usually fresh from a farmers market, too. I don’t know what it was. Call me crazy…

Bound to get over my green bean slump, I set out to test out an array of ways to make green beans. Some were hot, some were cold, some were spicy, some were sweet. In the end, this recipe morphed into parmesan almond green beans.

The texture, first of all, is amazing. It’s a mashup of crispiness from the green beans and crunchiness of the shaved almonds to a smoothness of the cheese. It’s fun. And the taste is, well, amazing (if I do say so myself). Garlic is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with, so you know it made an appearance in this recipe. The lemon also brings in a great sweetness that wasn’t present in a lot of the other green bean recipes I tried.

Looking to make it a meal? Try the green beans paired with lemon chicken and garlic roasted potatoes, and perhaps apple crisp for dessert. It’s all quick to throw together and picky eaters (like myself when it comes to the green beans) will love it.

Parmesan Almond Green Beans | www.betterwithfamily.com

Parmesan Almond Green Beans | www.betterwithfamily.com

Parmesan Almond Green Beans | www.betterwithfamily.com

Parmesan Almond Green Beans | www.betterwithfamily.com

Parmesan Almond Green Beans

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Parmesan Almond Green Beans

4–6 Servings

These aren't your canned green beans. Fresh, sweet, and a little creamy. Try these parmesan almond green beans for a great twist on a dinner plate staple.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green beans, trimmed
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons shaved almonds
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Steps

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but crisp. Drain the beans and immediately submerge in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, almonds. Set aside.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat dry. Add the beans to the pan and sauté, turning frequently, for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through.
  4. Turn off heat and toss with the parmesan mixture. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Serve hot.
3.1
http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/11/11/parmesan-almond-green-beans/

Filed Under: Food

Garlic and Onion Roasted Potatoes

November 7, 2014 By Alex Masica 4 Comments

I’m still drooling over these garlic and onion roasted potatoes.

Blame it on fall or whatever you want, but I have been craving potatoes lately like you wouldn’t believe. I put sweet potatoes in chili for the first time a few weeks ago and literally just about died from the deliciousness.

When I was a kid, I hated mini red potatoes, especially when they were cooked on the grill (sorry, Dad!). They had to be smothered in ketchup before I would even consider eating them.

Now, I love them. Although this time around, I set out with a goal in mind: make them so good they don’t need ketchup, or any condiment for that matter. I think I pulled it off.

The perfect blend of salt, pepper, and garlic really makes this recipe shine. I threw in an onion at the last minute to add another level of flavor from the roasting, and it’s awesome in this. I’m all for trying crazy new sauces that are infused with weird things like peanut butter or a lesser-known vegetable, but sometimes you have to appreciate the simpler things and go back to the basics. Salt + pepper + garlic = my perfect seasoning. Done.

Here’s a tip: don’t over do it on the olive oil. The potatoes shouldn’t come out of the oven greasy or sparkling in the light. You want that wholesome, fluffy texture from the potato, not something that’s more watery or slimy. The 1/4 cup of olive oil in the recipe is the maximum I’d use. If you want to be adventurous, ease up on the oil and add in a little more garlic. Or, for an even better experiment, replace the olive oil with balsamic vinegar.

Garlic Onion Roasted Potatoes | www.betterwithfamily.com

Garlic Onion Roasted Potatoes | www.betterwithfamily.com

Garlic Onion Roasted Potatoes | www.betterwithfamily.com

Garlic Onion Roasted Potatoes | www.betterwithfamily.com

Garlic and Onion Roasted Potatoes

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Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Serves 8

These garlic roasted potatoes are the perfect side dish to nearly any meal. Serve with chicken, beef, or even fish. The kids will love them, too!

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds small red or white potatoes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters. Place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Toss until well coated.
  3. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and spread out into one even layer. Roast in the oven for 45–60 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Flip twice during cooking for even browning.
  4. Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.
3.1
http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/11/07/garlic-onion-roasted-potatoes/

Filed Under: Food

Baked Lemon Chicken

November 5, 2014 By Alex Masica Leave a Comment

This baked lemon chicken could not be easier to make.

The weather in Minnesota has quickly been getting colder and colder, and I was in need of something a little more hot and hearty than I’d been having the past few months for dinner—salads or veggies with dip.

Lemon is one of those foods that tastes good year round, along with chocolate and bread (whoops). When I was a kid, I can remember not liking lemons very much. Now I often cook and bake with them. What I love about them is their mixture of acidity, bitterness, and sweetness. It’s really easy to substitute lemon for  different sweetener, like sugar, in a lot of cooking.

And of course, it wouldn’t be cooking in my kitchen if garlic weren’t involved. I go through a giant jar (like the 24 oz jar) in a month or two very easily. #thisiswhyimsingle

I tested this recipe a couple of ways when it came to the chicken. Ultimately, I decided it tasted better when cooked with skin-on chicken, even though I removed the skin before eating. The skin adds a really nice tenderness to the chicken and packs in a lot of flavor (even when removed). I’m not one to eat the skin on chicken very often (thanks for conditioning me on that one, Mom). But I couldn’t deny the intensity of the flavor versus the skinless chicken route.

This recipe will easily feed 6–8 people, so feel free to cut the ingredients in half if you’re serving a smaller crowd.

Baked Lemon Chicken | www.betterwithfamily.com

Baked Lemon Chicken | www.betterwithfamily.com

Baked Lemon Chicken | www.betterwithfamily.com

Baked Lemon Chicken | www.betterwithfamily.com

Baked Lemon Chicken

Print
Baked Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil 

  • 4 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup dry white wine 

  • Zest of one lemon
  • 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice 

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano 

  • 2 teaspoon minced thyme leaves 

  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 pieces of chicken (your choice, skin on)
  • 2 lemon

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 


  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Turn off the heat, and add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Divide between two 9x12-inch baking dishes. 


  4. Pat the chicken pieces dry and dip the skin in the sauce. Place them in the pan skin side up. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  5. Cut the lemons in 8 wedges and place around the pieces of chicken. 


  6. Bake for 45–50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Serve hot and with the pan juices.
3.1
http://betterwithfamily.com/2014/11/05/baked-lemon-chicken/

Filed Under: Food

My Neck. My Back. My Netflix And My Snacks.

November 4, 2014 By Alex Masica Leave a Comment

Anyone remember that steamy song with “my neck, my back….” in the lyrics? I’m not going to post the song here but you can find it on YouTube easy enough I’m sure.

A friend of mine sent me an updated version of the lyrics that fit everyone now to a tee: My neck. My back. My Netflix and my snacks. Raise your hand if you’re a Netflix binger! (I’m raising both hands)

So Pin this to one of your comedic boards (or maybe “words to live by” would be sufficient?) and hop in front of the tube. It’s Netflix time!

Bonus: if you need some snack recipes to go with your favorite TV marathon, check these out. They all look DELISH.

My Neck. My Back. My Netflix and my Snacks | www.betterwithfamily.com

Filed Under: Graphics

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Hi! Welcome and nice to meet you! I'm Alex: day-time marketer, night-time recipe creator and professional Netflix watcher. I live in Minneapolis and will never turn down a piece of chocolate. Still waiting for my Fitz Phone. Welcome to the Family!
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Recent Posts

  • Born Free Desktop Wallpaper
  • Lemon-Blueberry Bread
  • Parmesan Almond Green Beans
  • Garlic and Onion Roasted Potatoes
  • Baked Lemon Chicken

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