Brunch

Hospitality and Hosting–How We Built and Nurture Community

In 2025, I was on the struggle bus both physically and mentally, but there was one goal I set for myself: host more.

I’ve seen the statement on social media many times: “Everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager.” I get it. People are overtaxed, overextended, and the economy is a dumpster fire. Life is just different.

But my mom ingrained in me the magic of hospitality, and that it’s a gift you give to those you love. I remember one time, after an all-night field party, I came home with four classmates with no notice (and we were hungover and hangry). Mom simply fixed everyone a plate and offered them cake for dessert. My friends were in awe and asked to come back next week. She instilled in me that there’s always room at the table and that a welcoming home can be a balm to the soul. As I was feeling low last year, I decided to take a page out of Mom’s book and create the space that would nurture both myself and those I love.

 

So, in 2025, we started Sunday-Funday. We invited a diverse group of friends and acquaintances, created a text thread, and committed to hosting a monthly get-together. What started as a smallish gathering has grown into an event. We may have 6 guests, or we may have 25, depending on the month. And through our efforts, we’ve gotten to know new people, solidified personal connections, and overall, have created a lasting community.

Here’s how we do it:

  1.  First, we pick a theme so that I can plan a menu and cocktails. We’ve done Fiesta, Friendsgiving, “Appy” Hour, Italian Summer, Chili Kickoff, and more. I start with the main entree, then figure out the sides, desserts, and 2-4 appetizers for cocktail hour. Once the menu is set, I send it out to the group text.
  2. Next, unless it’s a special occasion like Friendsgiving, we keep it casual. Good paper plates and disposable utensils. People serve themselves and find a spot. This isn’t a formal dinner party, it’s Sunday-Funday. I still use my serving pieces and such, but the casual atmosphere helps the diverse crowd relax.
  3. A clean, well-stocked bathroom is my firm essential. Nearly every guest will use the restroom at some point, and a clean bathroom helps them feel comfortable, which is the root of hospitality. I may have thrown three loads of laundry on my bed to be folded later, but the common spaces of the house will be in order. Not perfect, just in order. Except the bathroom. That will be perfectly clean and stocked.
  4. The menu is also a time to exercise the hosting muscles. While I don’t cater to extensive preferences/diets, I try to ensure that every guest has something they can eat. For example, I know that one guest keeps somewhat Kosher, so I know that I need a couple of things that so not have pork or shellfish. I actually failed at this this week because a guest’s spouse is vegan, which I did not know, and other than crudité, there was nothing she would eat. I was so embarrassed, but now I know and have filed that away in my kitchen journal.
  5. Inevitably, a guest is going to ask, “What can I bring?” I’ve learned to have a list of a few things ready just in case because people truly want to contribute. An app, a dessert, ice, extra crackers, etc. all are easy and don’t require much. In the American South, most guests for casual gathers will ask this question, and I’ve learned to have an answer, even if it is just “yourself.”
  6. I take pictures when I can, but our gatherings are not about social media content. It’s about connecting and community. The entire point is to spend time with people and make them feel welcome. I will usually walk around and snap a few pictures but limit myself to 5-10 minutes for our group text but otherwise, I focus on remaining present.
  7. Drinks. We do our best to keep a well-stocked drink station, so people have plenty of options. Additionally, we keep bags of ice in the cooler because nothing ruins a party faster than running out of ice.

While Sunday-Funday is a monthly affair, I still try to incorporate small-scale hosting throughout the month, even if it is just inviting the neighbor over for dinner. It’s nice to unplug and connect with people over a good meal. I believe that taking the time to treat others is an incredible gift.

Mostly, I think that if you want a village, you sometimes have to just build it yourself. Happy Hosting!

Off The Shelf–Cookbooks I Bought This Month

It’s no secret that I have a severe cookbook hoarding issue. I have zero impulse control when I am at the bookstore, and usually never walk out empty-handed. So, here’s what I bought this month:

Image result for fifty pies fifty states

I purchased this book after hearing the author on a podcast, and I’m glad I did. This book is absolutely fantastic, and I highly recommend it. Great stories and photographs, and some of the recipes are just bananas, like the Jersey Breakfast Sandwich Pie and the Pulled Pork Pie topped with Hushpuppies. She also includes stories and facts about each state and dedicates the pies to friends from those locations. This would make a great gift for the baker in your life.

Paula Deen’s quote about Southern Plate! | Southern Plate

This book is exactly as described. A lot of the recipes are similar to old southern staples that you would find in Junior League and church cookbooks. They are simple, straightforward, classics from the author’s upbringing. If you are just starting out with cooking, or need easy southern recipes, this might fit the bill.

This book is an absolute treasure, not just for the recipes but what it represents. After Hurricane Katrina devastated our state, families lost everything, including treasured family recipes. The Times-Picayune newspaper’s food column became a way to swap recipes and seek out those that were lost. This book is a compilation of incredible recipes that are part of our state culture.

Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the Seasons, LA - Picture 1 of 1

This book is from the owner of a south Louisiana smokehouse and highlights some genuine Cajun cuisine. I love the seasonal approach to the organization of recipes, and the photos are excellent. If you are looking for authentic south Louisiana recipes, this is worth the purchase.

So, checked out any good cookbooks lately?

 

Spicy Sausage and Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread Mini-Muffins: My New Favorite Party Appetizer

So, I’ve shared Mom’s Hot Sausage Cornbread recipe in the past, but I confess, it was not my favorite. The Husband (and most guys in my life) love it, because between the sausage, corn, and spice, what’s not to like? I still felt like the recipe itself was a wee bit weird. Was it an appetizer? Was it a side dish? Was it the product of too many cocktails on a Saturday night? Originally, Mom baked this in a 9×13 casserole and served it in squares, so it’s easy to see my confusion. The sausage and peas lend enough protein that I felt it never really fit into a main dish or side dish category, and serving it in squares with a fork definitely didn’t seem like an appetizer either.

However, as I was doing extensive recipe testing in anticipation of both the holiday season and the big family party, I had the idea to see if this could work as a handheld appetizer. I was worried because honestly, the filling-to-cornbread ratio made me question the structural integrity of the finished product. I rounded up the troops (i.e., the neighbors, Husband, and Heathens) and got to cooking.

Whelp, I am happy to report that we absolutely love this iteration so much more than the original. By cooking the cornbread in the mini muffin pans, we had more browning on all sides (rather than just top and bottom), which added better texture and flavor in comparison to the first recipe. If you are an edge-piece-eater of the things, you already get it.

Now, here’s the deal. This works if you follow some basic rules and suggestions:

  • You must spray the mini muffin tin with nonstick spray
  • DO NOT be tempted to try to remove muffins post-bake prematurely. They will fall apart. There’s just enough batter to hold to them together with a wing and a prayer. Letting the muffins set up is crucial to success.
  • Once you let these cool, the best way to get them out is to run a butter knife around the edges then use a spoon to scoop them out. Don’t expect appearance perfection, so refer to the picture above. I promise the taste makes up for the less-than-Instagram worthy appearance.
  • It’s better to let them cool, get them out of the tin, then reheat them in a warm oven or microwave for serving. If you aren’t too concerned about perfect appearances, go ahead and evacuate them at the 20-30 minute rest mark. They will still be plenty warm.
  • You can absolutely make them ahead. Store in the fridge, then reheat in the oven or microwave. They are best warm, not piping hot.
  • Finally, serving ideas: Mom traditionally suggested salsa and/or sour cream, but Bear swears they are better with the tiniest hint of a honey drizzle. Either way, it’s still guaranteed to be unique, tasty, and not yo mama’s cheese ball.

 

Spicy Sausage and Black-Eyed Peas Cornbread Mini Muffins

Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 44 mini muffins
Course: Appetizer
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound hot bulk pork sausage
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh jalapenos
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 (15-oz) can black-eyed peas drained and rinsed
  • 1 (7-oz) can cream-style corn

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or 350 for convection ovens). Spray two 24-count mini muffin pans with nonstick spray.
  2. In a skillet, add the sausage, chopped onion, and minced jalapeno. Cook over medium-low heat, breaking up the sausage as you go (like browning ground beef). Season with salt and pepper. Cook until sausage is browned, and onions are translucent. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together corn muffin mix, eggs, buttermilk, and vegetable oil until blended. Stir the cooled sausage mixture, cheese, black-eyed peas and cream-style corn.
  4. Using a cookie (aka 1-ish-inch) scoop, divide batter into 44 of the muffin tins. These muffins really do not rise much so they can be filled to the top of the cups. Bake for 30 minutes or until nice and browned (see pictures).
  5. LET MUFFINS COOL AND REST 30 MINUTES or they will fall apart. Run a butter knife around the edges and lift out gently with a spoon. Serve warm with salsa and sour cream on the side, or a tiny drizzle of honey on top. It's better to let these cool completely and rewarm them than to try and evacuate them from the pan early. Store leftovers in the fridge, and reheat in a 250-degree oven or in the microwave until warm.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Our Easter Menu 2022 and a Carrot Soufflé Recipe

I finally planned out the Easter menu, because procrastination is apparently my thing this Spring. The days are flying by this year, for sure.

While I know that ham is traditional on many a southern Easter table, we usually opt for lamb. My family goes bananas for my grilled lamb chops, and with such easy prep and a fast cook time, I’m not juggling cook times and oven space as I often am on other holidays. I also aim for dishes that I can prep ahead, then just toss in the oven or on the grill come lunch time. I’d rather be hanging out and visiting with everyone than stuck in the kitchen on a holiday.

So, here’s the rundown of the big meal:

Maple Mustard Grilled Lamb Chops

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole

Roasted asparagus (olive oil, salt and pepper, roast at 375 for 10-15 minutes)

This fruit salad

Garlic breadsticks (shaped and baked into rolls instead of sticks)

and Carrot Soufflé (see recipe below).

However, if you are hell-bent on ham, I love this Maple Orange Bourbon Ham, and this Jalapeno Honey Glazed Ham. Both of these would go well with this menu, though I’d switch out the rolls for biscuits.

As for dessert, I will probably whip up a carrot cake, assuming my lost motivation shows up sometime soon. Or maybe break with tradition and do a chocolate fondue-type spread. Now, here’s hoping that I can actually get my hands on everything I need, as the grocery store has been looking a little on the lean side lately.

Carrot Souffle

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings: 0
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds carrots peeled and sliced
  • salt
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 eggs large
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter room temperature

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13 casserole dish.
  2. Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar and eggs until well combined. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, carrots and butter, and pulse to combine. Pour mixture into prepared dish.
  4. Bake casserole until set, about 45 minutes to an hour. Serve immediately.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The Eggs Benedict Experiment–Or How I Reminded Myself That Perspective When Cooking Makes a Difference

The husband is home this week, so I finally tackled a cooking challenge that I’ve been putting off for awhile: Eggs Benedict. This is hands-down his favorite brunch choice, but since the kids and I are not fans of poached eggs, he usually only gets it when we are out at a restaurant. When a bad storm forced us to cancel our lunch date, I thought, “Why the hell not give it a try?” and headed to the kitchen.

For the recipe, I just browsed Food Network for something that looked fairly straightforward and basic (standard toasted English muffin, Canadian bacon, poached egg, and the sauce). While I think some people are intimidated by Hollandaise sauce, I’ve made Béarnaise sauce before, which is basically Hollandaise with tarragon added, so I wasn’t too worried about that.

The poached egg, however? I think I was traumatized by the egg scene in the film Julie & Julia, and convinced myself the process would be complicated and fraught with missteps. Nevertheless, I reminded myself that I can cook, and cook well. After browsing other recipes, I did up the vinegar a little bit in the poaching liquid, and what do you know? Poaching eggs is a piece of cake if you chill the f@&k out and follow directions. The husband loved it.

So, what did I learn in this impromptu cooking adventure? I think sometimes we build up certain dishes or techniques in our minds as intimidating or too difficult. Just taking the time to experiment and practice privately can transform the way you see those challenges. Would I suggest trying a new technique while your judgemental in-laws watch and critique? Of course not. The pressure to preform takes the fun out of mastering something new (hence in my Thanksgiving posts, I say that holidays are NOT the time to try out a complicated new dish). But this little experiment reminded me that I don’t need to approach every meal as if it has to be flawless or agreeable to every picky palate. I have more fun learning and exploring than repeating the same catalogue of meals endlessly.

Also, at some point, picky eaters are gonna pick. If you don’t try new dishes because you know you are gonna hear griping, then you rob yourself and them of the opportunity to learn, grow, and expand culinary horizons. As any southern mama would say, “You get what you get, and don’t throw a fit.”

Actually, that’s the nicer way to put it. Pretty sure my mom would say, “Shut up and quit your bitching.” Just keeping it real.