We’re beginning a new quarantine-inspired blog series asking gals how they’re filling their time in quarantine. Here’s what’s on our friend Cortney’s radar:


Listening (playlist and/or podcasts):

I’m binging Small Town Murder like a crazy person! It’s hilarious (but respects the victims) and features some of the most whacko crimes.

Playlist: When I’m not filling my ears with murder-related podcasts, I’m listening to my personal 2020 playlist (and adding songs regularly.)


Eating:

This stay at home thing has benefitted my diet greatly because I finally have time to cook! I use this garlic butter salmon recipe 1-2 times a week but sub out the broccoli (ew) for asparagus (yum) and this rosemary chicken recipe every other night of the week. I rotate roasted veggies as a side (carrots, potatoes, eggplant, squash, zucchini, etc.) seasoned with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper baked at 400 for 20 mins. Neither of these recipes take long to throw together and they’re absolutely delish.


Morning coffee:

Iced coffee with a splash of cream! I’m drinking the Starbucks Unsweetened Blonde Roast with the Caramel Macchiato cream. I go through two bottles of the coffee every week!


Evening drank:

My go-to has been a prohibition drink called the French 75! All it takes is a quality Gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and simple sweetener. Here’s the recipe:

1.5 oz Gin

.75 oz lemon juice

.75 oz simple syrup

2 oz chilled Champagne

Add the first three ingredients to a shaker, fill with ice, shake, and strain into a flute. Top with Champagne. (Garnish with a lemon twist if you’re feeling fancy.) Voila!


Reading: 

I absolutely devoured Where the Crawdads Sing and Today Will Be Different! I suggest the former for a more in-depth, emotionally charged read, while the latter is more of a lighthearted day-time read.


Watching:

Currently Binging: One Tree Hill, previously binged Wild Wild Country, The Alienist


Skincare products you’re using:

Started using this Vitamin C Suspension cream by The Ordinary daily and love the results so far.

I heard Hilary Duff recently say during an IG Live that the backs of hands wrinkle as fast as our face so I’m quenching my skin’s thirst on the hour, every hour, with Weleda’s Skin Food.

Someone on IG said something about a “pit detox” and it got me thinking . . . do pit masks exist? Enter: spontaneous Amazon purchases. One tablespoon of Moroccan Red Clay Powder mixed with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of water makes an incredibly powerful pit mask. Swipe it on, leave it till it’s dry, and then rinse. I bid you adieu, body odor.


Recipe you’re trying:

½ C softened butter

1 C sugar

¼ almond milk (or any non-dairy milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ¼ C flour

¼ C cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

⅔ C chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F
  2. In a mixing bowl, stir butter and sugar until fluffy. Add almond milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
  3. Add and mix after each of the following ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to form a dough then add the chocolate chips.
  4. Use a spoon to roll 2 tbsp size balls of dough and space evenly on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and let them cool for five minutes.

Bon appétit!