dinner

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!

2026–The Year I am Cultivating Joy

Whew. 2025 was something. Don’t get me wrong, there were some good moments.

Bear graduated college a full year early and started grad school. We traveled to Scotland. I finally had plastic surgery to remove my c-section pooch and had my stomach muscles repaired after the damage from 10-pound babies. I also cooked and knit a ton, while working on my Master’s in Gastronomy program. I also hosted a dozen or so parties, which I will write about in my next post.

But it was also a year of struggle. My mental and physical health took a nosedive, and constant stress wore me down. It also didn’t help that I started 2026 with the worst cold I’ve had in years, hence the later-than-intended post. I knew something needed to change, and not in a New Year-New Me kind of way.

As such, when I sat down to think about what I want to do in the year ahead, I decided to strive to cultivate joy daily in my home. I want to romanticize small moments and let go of things and practices that no longer serve myself or my family. I also want to complete some languishing projects and approach each day with intention rather than reaction. Mostly, I want to have the mindset that being proactive in cultivating joy should be a priority, rather than happenstance.

So, how are we going to do this? Here are some fundamentals I laid out in my planner:

  • Stop waiting for special occasions. You deserve everyday joy. Light the candle, set the table, use the serving pieces, make the dinner you want on occasion rather than always trying to please others. Small things can take everyday moments from mundane to cozy comfort.
  • Continue hosting and cultivate community. I love hosting, which sometimes feels like a lost art. Hospitality is a gift to others that brings me joy and builds bridges. That is important in an era where people feel more and more disconnected.
  • Prioritize things that I know bring me joy and improve my mental health, even if it’s just a few minutes a day, like knitting, reading, using the good bath bomb, etc.
  • Cook from my cookbooks and test more recipes. I have a massive cookbook library, but come meal planning time, I have fallen into bad habits of just doing the same-old thing because I’m mentally wiped. I am now ensuring that I pick out a recipe or two from my books to try each week so that I am always learning and experimenting, thereby proving that my goblin hoard is justified. Food and cooking are my passion, so I am actively restructuring the way I meal plan so that the mental load doesn’t get maxed out all at once.
  • Personal care needs to be a priority, not an afterthought. I always feel better when I stick to wellness and skincare routines, and those have been the first to fall to the wayside in times of stress. Procrastination leads to apathy. And my kids don’t need to be reminding me to eat or take my meds, that’s for sure.
  • Reset my home one room at a time, even if this occurs in small pieces, especially my bedroom, which is a catchall for “I’ll deal with that later.” Some clutter (honestly, a lot) needs to go. The laundry room also needs attention. These unseen-to-guests spaces are haphazard and are decidedly NOT bringing me joy. Therefore, I vow to chip away at our home so that every room feels purposeful and intentional.
  • Finally finish my two biggest outstanding projects: revising and reprinting the family cookbook, and finishing Bean’s needlepoint stocking. I have resolved this every year for the past four years, and I am taking steps to make sure I succeed.

Though these seem like big goals, they share the same foundation–cultivate joy proactively and rediscover whimsy. I will be posting more this year, sharing recipes, meal plans, knitting/crafting content, honest reviews of stuff I bought with my own money, and more, so I hope you’ll come back.

Overall, despite the state of the outside world, I hope 2026 is a year where I focus on the joy within–including my home, my family, my community, and ultimately, myself.

Cookbook Round-Up–What I Liked and What I Plan On Buying Soon

I’ve been MIA for a month of Sundays because the Spring and Summer semesters kicked my proverbial booty. My studies at BU’s Gastronomy program are rigorous, and I really felt drained for a good bit of the time. However, I took the back half of summer off to rest and recharge before classes resume in September. While I do have this respite, I wanted get back to my site and share some of my favorite cookbook purchases this year, as well as a few I’m looking forward to in the Fall.

First up is You Got This! by Diane Morrisey

I was unfamiliar with this author and flipped through the text at the bookstore for about 5 minutes before I purchased a copy. This book has a ton of approachable, family-friendly recipes that are both weeknight and weekend friendly and I marked at least 20 that I wanted to try. So far, I have loved the Sausage Rigatoni, Chicken Divan, and Potato Galette. Don’t get me wrong, as a culinary student, I can project cook if needed, but this book is more realistic toward how I cook for my family on the regular. When you are responsible for the never-ending meal planning and cooking for a diverse household, not every meal can be a full-on chef-level production. I would quit this circus without realistic inspiration to get me through those Tuesday nights of existential despair. I plan on gifting a copy to my sister because I think she will love it as well.

Next is an older book I stumbled across, Recipe Revival by the editors of Southern Living.

I really enjoyed this retrospective and the updated ways in which they have been refreshed for modern cooks. I also found a ton of recipes in this book that I want to make, and as with the previous text, they are very accessible for home cooks like me who are tasked with the never-ending cycle of meal planning and cooking. Plenty of weeknight and party fare, with menus for inspiration. I picked this up at the secondhand book shop on the cheap and am very glad I did.

The two social media cookbook darlings of the Spring publishing season were By Heart by Hailey Catalano, and The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook by Merideth Hayden.

I purchased both and found several recipes I enjoyed, such as the meatballs in By Heart, and the Shake and Bake Chicken with Hot Honey Tomatoes, and the Balsamic Short Ribes in Wishbone. I think both texts have a mix of accessible and delicious recipes, but they also contain some more fussy options that have a series of elements that push them to weekend/date night cooking for me. However, as I admitted, my time and attention has been taxed with writing and cooking for classes, so I think my perspective is more about my current life season than the recipes themselves. I would flip through both because people in my social media feed are loving these books.

As for cookbooks I am looking forward to during the Fall publishing season, my first pic is My Southern Kitchen by Ivy Odom.

Ivy is a Southern Living contributor, test kitchen participant, and is pretty much their main social media content creator. Based on recipes I’ve seen (and cooked) from her articles and videos, I feel like this one is going to be good. Her style of cooking definitely aligns with mine. As soon as I heard she was publishing, I pre-ordered.

Next is Let’s Party by Dan Pelosi.

I enjoyed Dan’s first book, and as a now writer for NYT Food, he’s been putting out some great recipes consistently. I love collecting books about entertaining/gatherings, so even if I was not familiar with his content, I probably would have picked this one up anyway. We host a huge Sunday gathering monthly for friends (think 25-30), so I am always looking for fresh, festive ideas. I think this one has potential, and his energy is infectious.

Finally, I am looking forward to Good Things by Samin Nosrat.

 

Both Samin’s first book and her Netflix series were required reading/viewing in a couple of my courses in the past year. Her experience, encompassing knowledge, and commitment to rigorous recipe testing have made me a huge fan. This text description has me wanting to try everything listed, and I believe this will be a bestseller within the first week of publishing. Again, preordered because I am that excited.

So that’s what I’ve been noodling over as I come up with new areas to stack cookbooks. But that’s a problem for another day, because my library is my pride and joy, and Fall is prime time for new texts. If you have an upcoming book that you are eyeballing, or a cautionary tale about an absolute dud in your library, let me know. I want to try as many new recipes as I can before I am back to the scholastic grind for my final year.

**As always, my blog is not monetized in any way and the links posted are NOT affiliates, they are simply for your convenience. If you see any ads on my site, they come from WordPress, not me. Any reviews/opinions you see are of products I purchased with my own money. I’m just a busy mom/student and not that cool.**

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole (a.k.a My Thanksgiving Must-Have Side Dish)

If you are looking for an easy side dish for your Thanksgiving gathering, I’ve got just the casserole for you.

I know that I may be in the minority, but I’ve never been a fan of the marshmallow-topped concoctions or those syrupy, too-sweet bakes. That’s why I never really ate sweet potatoes until well into adulthood. I tweaked my mom’s recipe until I not only had a great side dish, but also look forward to it every year.

This recipe has citrus zest to brighten up the potatoes, and a spiced pecan topping to bring texture and crunch. Best of all? You can make it ahead and just pop it in the oven while the turkey rests.

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Casserole
  • 3 29-ounce cans sweet potatoes, drained
  • 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2-1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 3/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup sugar granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • additional butter for greasing casserole
Topping
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter

Method
 

Casserole
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining casserole ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer, beat mixture until fluffy.
  2. Pour into a buttered 9x13casserole, spreading mixture evenly.
  3. Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove casserole from oven, top with pecan mixture, and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Topping
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, add brown sugar and all seasonings to melted butter, stirring to incorporate. Stir in pecans until they are well coated. Top casserole with pecan mixture in last 10 minutes of baking.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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?

 

My Ooni Karu Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven Review

So, I mentioned that I got a new toy, the Ooni Karu multi-fuel pizza oven for my birthday, but with everything going on, I just finally got around to playing with it for the past two weeks. Now, before I get into my review, I want to be clear that ingredients and process matter for success, so there is a learning curve, especially concerning dough. I have a few pizza cookbooks, and settled on the 60% hydration Neapolitan dough from this book:

I highly suggest this book if you want a pizza science deep dive, but even if you don’t, here’s why I love it. It gives dough recipes for various Italian styles (Naples, Rome, etc. which are different), and the regional recipes are also adapted for home ovens, grills, and pizza ovens. It explains why the dough needs to be different for each. To put it simply, the dough needs to be adjusted for how hot and fast your oven can cook. Most home ovens can only go to 500 F, while grills and pizza ovens can heat to 700-900 F. The cooking temperature affects how much water dough needs to cook properly. The author has it laid out in extensive detail, so on my first try, my 3-day fermented dough turned out perfectly and to rave reviews. It’s becoming part of my daily routine to keep dough on rotation so we have weekly pizza nights. I also recommend The Joy of Pizza as well.

Let’s talk about the oven itself.

This is a wood-fired oven with an optional propane insert, which we chose to purchase as an additional feature. I knew that I would make pizza more often with the convenience of instant-start gas versus building/managing a wood fire every single time. I know that’s not as authentic, but I want to use this pizza oven regularly, and not as a special occasion when I am willing to babysit a wood fire in 105-degree weather in summer. Because my outdoor counter space is limited, I ended up buying a rolling kitchen cart so I can move it around as needed for both cooking and storage.

Thoughts on Accessories/Support

  • The two main accessories we purchased that I can get behind are the oven cover, and the pizza peel. The cover fits perfectly and is low-effort to use. The peel is easy to work with and maneuver for the oven size and shape.
  • The freaking door….So, they advertise the oven with no door, and suggest consumers purchase one. Well, we bought a door only to find out our oven came with a fully-installed door. So, I now have a very expensive door in my closet. Rather than return it, I’m just going to hang on to it in case of emergency, but I HIGHLY suggest you talk to customer service before ordering a door to see of it is included.
  • I’d hold off on the laser thermometer suggestion until you play around with the built-in thermometer. They obviously want to upsell ad nauseam but it’s up to you on how “Alton Brown” you want to go with it. I don’t think it’s necessary for starting out.
  • I like the app and find it to be very helpful. Outside of the video tutorials, I found plenty of recipe inspirations, more so than I expected. The company seems to have good consumer support for their products. The app is worth downloading.

After playing around for a bit, I can say that I really love this oven. Yes, it was pricey, and there is definitely a learning curve if you’ve never made pizza before. But it cooks beautifully (in two minutes or less) and is easy enough to use on a weeknight. The Heathens love getting creative with toppings outside of the norm. It’s also useful way to transform leftovers, for example, we used the leftover food from our weekend barbecue to make pizzas the next day, which reduced food waste. Overall, I think it’s a great product and I am learning a lot.

So, we bought the thing, we love the thing, two thumbs up.

**A note/disclaimer–This blog is not monetized in any way. The links I provide ARE NOT affiliate links, they are just for your convenience. All reviews are of products I pay for with my own money, and I have no problem telling you the truth about them. If you see an ad on my site, that comes from WordPress, my site host, as the toll of free blogging. I have no control over the targeted ads they display to you**

 

From the Cookbook Library–Recent Reads and Reviews

It’s no secret that I have a cookbook problem…in that I will never, ever have enough. However, I am also guilty of being lazy AF when it comes down to meal planning for this circus. Rather than taking the time to go through my library of cookbooks throughout the week for inspiration, I often spend Sunday mornings scrolling online for fast ideas so I can get my grocery order in on time.

Well, as this year-of-improvement trucks along, I realize that expanding my culinary skillsets also means that I really need to spend a little less time on my phone, and a little more time amongst my bookshelves. So, I’m slowly attempting to build into the routine time to look to my books each week when it comes to meal planning and experimenting. Since I also vowed to cut down on my phone usage (a wee bit harder than I thought), this goal is doing double-duty for me.

Here are a couple of books I cooked from this week, or dove into for future planning:

The Woks of Life Cookbook Cover

The Woks of Life came to me via my Hardcover Cook subscription, and dang if I wasn’t the last to know about the authors’ fantastic food blog. I absolutely love every part of this book, from the family history and stories to the recipes that feel completely accessible to home cooks. On my first pass, I flagged at least 20 recipes I can’t wait to try. This weekend, I made some pork dumplings and chicken curry pockets, along with the ultimate dipping sauce. I wanted to keep going, but alas, we were all full at that point.

My dumpling assembly technique remains woefully inadequate, but everything was still dang tasty and I have plenty more dishes that I want to make soon. This book is a welcome addition to my library, and you should totally check it out at least the blog. I foresee pork buns in my future very soon.

I’ve mentioned previously that I’ve been baking up a storm, but picky eaters are still gonna pick. So, in addition to cake and pie experiments geared toward broadening my culinary skillsets, I’ve also been working my way through this King Arthur Essential Cookie Companion. This book has PLENTY of cookies that are easy to make and frequently utilize items I already have in my pantry. More often than not, I can flip through and find a new cookie recipe to crank out in a pinch before one of the boys gets home for the weekend. So, while I toiled away on a 2-hour caramel frosting that could not save a bone-dry caramel cake (from another cookbook I won’t mention), I at least whipped up a back-up bunch of chocolate-peanut half-moons (post-dip in chocolate not pictured).

Yeah, I am definitely putting some miles on this one, and I also recommend it if you like easy cookie recipes with clear instructions that have been thoroughly tested. I just finished up a batch of Chocolate Wake-Ups in between typing this and working on this weekend’s sourdough.

So, I technically have not tried any of the recipes in this book, but I still think it’s worth a look before summer’s bounty starts rolling in. I cannot for this life of me remember where I heard about it, but I am always on the lookout for books to add to my canning/preserving/skill-building library. This volume covers a lot of bases, from water bath and pressure canning to meat curing and beginner cheesemaking. I have been wanting to branch out into pressure canning for a while, and after reading this, I feel a somewhat less intimidated to get started. Also, after perusing the chapter on curing/smoking, I am about to start the process of turning a lovely pork belly I got at the farm into bacon, so I’ll follow up in a later post on how that goes. Overall, this book is very well-written and thoughtfully laid out, so check it out if you are so inclined.

Well, that about covers it in the time I have before the dough needs more attention. Hopefully, Operation Cook the Books continues, because my habit for acquiring new cookbooks will probably never be tamed. In fact, I wonder what’s new at the bookstore this week……

February Goals Round Up

I am a little late getting this post up but it’s time to review how the month went.

Health/Personal

  • I only lost about four pounds this month and definitely was not as consistent with my fitness, but with reason. Unfortunately, I caught a nasty virus, but luckily, it was not covid, flu, or strep. The downside of having asthma, however, is that colds/respiratory illnesses hit me like a ton of bricks and linger forever. We also had an appendicitis scare (false alarm) with one of the kids, who also ended up needing a CT and was diagnosed with mild pneumonia, so February and health were not getting along at all.
  • Overall, I think my biggest take-away from the month is that I need to stay on track mentally and physically, even when the train gets derailed. We had quite a few unscheduled events and detours from our usual routines, and I need to not let those subdue momentum. But, progress is still progress, and I am feeling good.

 

 

Kitchen

  • Baking: Another NINE new recipes tried, so I’m calling that a success for baking practice. I made: Copycat Biscoff Crumbl Cookies (kids really liked them), Cinnamon Sugar St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake (meh, just like a basic coffee cake but more work), Copycat Crumbl Snickerdoodles (a bit dense but good), Copycat Crumbl Red Velvet Cookies (also a bit dense), Red Velvet Cake (good, basic recipe), and the following cookie recipes from the King Arthur Cookie Companion book that I could not find exact matches for online: Fudgy Brownies (kids loved big time), Tender Toffee Rounds (husband liked, kids thought they were bitter from the dark chocolate), Soft Oatmeal Cookies (weird, ends up more like rounds than cookies), and Sugar and Spice Drops (interesting and perfect for fall). I am loving this book, but most of the recipes from it have not been published online by King Arthur, so I can’t link them. The book is worth purchasing, in my opinion.
  • I rebooted the sourdough starter after Bear murdered the last attempt, and it was a success! I still have a long way to go and much more practice ahead, but I think I now understand the fundamentals. The Pantry Mama website gave me a lot of good info and insight, so if you want to jump on the bandwagon, that’s a good place to start.
  • More pasta practice went down this month as well. I ordered a ravioli tool to make the process a wee bit faster for me, and it was totally worth the $13 I spent. I can’t tell you how much easier it was than the trying to fill individual mezzalunas. I made a filling of ground chicken, ricotta, parmesan and herbs, then served the ravioli in a tomato sauce with just a touch of cream to mellow it out. It’s also still a learning process, but I love cultivating new skillsets when it comes to carbs.
  • I tried six new recipes this month, and two were simply me freestyling dinner like a madwoman. The others included BBQ Chicken Fajitas (everyone liked this, and it was a nice spin on taco night), Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo (It was descent; I liked it more than the kids and husband but not by much), Skillet Beef Enchiladas (this was a “meh” all around. They didn’t like the texture), and Creamy Italian Sausage One Pot Pasta (This will be a weeknight keeper. Everyone liked it and it’s very easy to prepare).

Books

I read another six books this month:

  • Twisted Hate by Ana Huang (not pictured)-Basically this was an enemies-to-lovers romance, and honestly, I felt like I slogged through it. The hero had the personality of a fencepost, and seemed immature to the point of unlikable. Definitely not my favorite.
  • Twisted Lies by Ana Huang (not pictured)-Yes, I am a glutton for punishment. I was intrigued by side characters she set up in the last book, so I decided to check out their story. It was better than the previous, but still just one-note for me.
  • To Boldly Grow-A non-fiction work that tells the story of Tamar and her husband as they work to source as much of their food locally as possible through gardening, hunting, foraging, fishing, etc. Kind of like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I enjoyed it. She really highlights the learning curves, successes, and failures in a relatable way.
  • In the Middle of Hickory Lane-I confess, I am a huge Heather Webber fan, whose works remind me of Sarah Addison Allen, and this book was just as good as her last. I love modern magic realism, so this one got a big thumbs up.
  • Home to Cypress Bayou-Ok, I have a soft spot for this soapy little book, mostly because it’s set in the fictional Cypress Bayou, which is based on my former home of Natchitoches, Louisiana. It’s more like cotton candy for your brain than compelling fiction, and because of the setting, it charmed me more than it probably should. The writing could be more polished, but I still liked it.
  • The Vineyards of Champagne-Honestly, as much as I wanted to enjoy this one, I thought it was terribly slow, the plot contrived, and the main character and her lack of self-awareness grew tedious quickly. While it was very well-researched, I don’t get the glowing reviews (although many others agreed with me).

Fiber Arts

  • I finally finished the damn sweater! Scottish Ale sat on the needles forever because I hated knitting it (have learned that seamed sweaters are not my thing). G-Man loves it, so that’s what counts, but man, am I happy to see that thing done.
  • I also finished The Shift Cowl. This was an easy pattern to knit, but I’m on the fence about my yarn choice. Both the sweater and the cowl are projects that have been sitting in my UFO bin for a while, so getting these finished definitely ticked off a goal on my fiber arts to-do list.
  • I started and am about 3/4 of the way through the Chilton Cowl using a set of Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Holiday Frost mini-skeins from my stash, so I am still sticking to my knit-from-stash goal for the year. I also have three more from-stash projects in the pipeline.
  • As for spinning, I confess I haven’t made much progress. I continued to struggle with the Malabrigo Nube fiber, so I finally abandoned it, and have switched to practicing with Ashford Silk Merino Silver. I’m still can’t get my drafting under control, and my attempts are getting seriously over-twisted. I know it’s going to take time and lots of practice, but even after watching a bagillion YouTube videos, I still feel like it’s just not clicking with me. I’m going to keep at it though, because I know it’s going to be like learning to knit–time, practice, muscle memory, and education.
  • Finally, I haven’t put as much work into the needlepoint stocking for Bean, and I think both that and spinning practice are areas where I need to focus more time.

So, that was February. Good forward progress all around, but I see room for improvement in a few areas. Now it’s time to gird the loins, because guess what this week is? Regional Science Fair. Y’all……there’s not enough margaritas in the world shine a light at the end of that tunnel. Pray for me and send tequila.

Checking in on Those 2023 Intentions- A January Review

It’s already February 1st y’all, and for the first time in a hot minute, I ended January on a very high note. I don’t know what lit the fire under my ass this year as opposed to the past several, but I’ll take it. I’ve seriously settled in to my 2023 intentions, and I feel like a new penny as my grandmother used to say. So, let’s take a look back at this month and review:

Health/Personal

  • I’m trucking along on this one and the results are evident. I did Dry January, and the improvements in my energy, sleep, anxiety, and mood were off the charts. So, it looks like a 90-95 percent reduction of the hooch is the plan going forward.
  • I worked out 5 days a week (except once when I had to support my neighbor during a hospital stay), and watched/recorded what I ate. As a result, I lost 11 dang pounds!
  • I reduced my phone/scrolling time by about 50 percent, and I think there still room for improvement there.
  • Finally, I stuck to my “Three to Thrive” and hit my target every day. I defined these as skincare, hitting my water goals, and taking my meds and vitamins every day. Good times, all around.

Kitchen 

I have been rocking it in the kitchen, which is making the Husband and Heathen’s very happy.

Books

I read six books this month, (not pictured is a romance, Twisted Games that I read on my Kindle).

  • When in Rome-Cute, lighthearted, low-stakes romance loosely based on the movie Roman Holiday, but with a happy ending. Fluffy beach read.
  • The Comfort Food Diaries-a memoir of recovering from toxic family and alcoholism by travelling to friends and extended family, cooking, reconnecting, and letting go. Kind of an Eat, Pray, Love vibe. I liked it overall, but felt some parts were rushed/glossed over that made the pacing a little uneven. Otherwise, I enjoyed it.
  • Heart Bones-I thought this was ok, but not my favorite by this author. Damage childhoods and coming of age romance typical for this author, but uneven character development in my opinion.
  • Other Birds-I’m biased because I love Sarah Addison Allen novels. A little magic realism, uncovering secrets of the past, finding a place to call home, beautiful settings.
  • Abandoned in Death-Despite how formulaic these books have become, I’ll always come back to them. This one, however, was better than some recent volumes.
  • Twisted Games-Steamy princess/bodyguard romance, ’nuff said. It was the second book I’ve read in this series. It was ok enough that I’m on the third, so take that for what it’s worth. Not shouting from the rooftops about it though.

Fiber Arts

  • Still working on that damn sweater, but I am about 30% through the second sleeve, so the finish line is in sight. I also wound the yarn I ordered to hopefully finish my Shift cowl once the fu%&ing sweater is complete. So, that fits under my intention to finish at least two WIPs this year.
  • I got my spinning wheel set up and tried to practice with the Malabrigio Nube fiber I ordered, and promptly felt like an abject failure. I watched dozens of videos and could not figure out why I was struggling so much. Well, a little time on Ravelry promptly educated me as to why this particular fiber needs to be pre-drafted into submission. Because if the dyeing and prep, parts were damn near felted, and the rest was compacted like crazy. So, pictured above is how it arrived, versus several hours of pre-drafting. It also shows that the dye only hit the outer layers of the fiber, and there was a lot more undyed than the braid would lead you to believe. Now that it’s (in theory) workable, I’m going to try again later this week.
  • Made progress on the Christmas stocking, but will need to pick up the pace if I want it done in time to submit it for finishing, thus making it ready by the holidays.
  • Best part? We booked our hotel for Rhinebeck, aka New York Sheep and Wool Festival in October! This means I’ll have to miss DFW Fiber Fest this year, but I’ll somehow survive. Excited doesn’t even begin to cover it.

So, that’s the January Recap. I’m using my Commit30 planner to its fullest, which helps me keep track of how I’m doing. Highly recommend, as always. Now, I need to keep the momentum going.

So, wrapping it up, it’s February, and we are deep into Mardi Gras season, and crawfish are coming on (though it’s still a little early so prices are a little high). I better pick up a King Cake before Friday, because the Heathens may riot soon, and we have a crawfish boil/oyster roast fete to attend this weekend. Now, if I could just figure out what I need to bring, but that’s a conversation for another day.

WIP Wednesday & Kitchen Musings

Well, the good news is that I’m half-way across Sleeve Island! I finished up the first sleeve of my never-damn-ending Scottish Ale pullover.

I’m so dang sick of this sweater, it’s unreal. But I am not allowing myself to touch another project until it’s finished, because if I don’t get it done soon, I never will. I am ready to put this one in my rearview mirror for sure. I can already tell the sleeves are not sized very well, and it looks like other knitters had similar thoughts based on project notes in Ravelry. I don’t care at this point, though. I will finish it, and if it doesn’t fit, oh damn well.

In unrelated news, we’ve been going strong on our 20% better initiative. I put in an order to the farm that included beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and local butter (Morrell Dairy Farm) and honey (Hummer & Son).

These quiet January days let me slow down and be a little more methodical with cooking and menu-planning, which has helped keep the waste to a minimum and given our budget a break from the frenetic entertaining of the holidays. I’ve been leaning into all the comfort foods. I used the smoked ham hocks for a big pot of purple hull peas, the sausage for Monday red Beans and rice with cornbread, and the ground sausage for Saturday morning biscuits and gravy (with bacon, eggs, and cheese grits…well, because). At the Husband’s request, the chicken took a decadent gravy bath and landed on a pile of buttery, fluffy mashed potatoes, while the honey added sweetness to a new roll recipe that I test-drove during a baking binge. I’ll smother the pork chops in a mushroom mustard-cream sauce tomorrow night, and the local butter will jazz up carrots that need to evacuate my crisper drawer. Overall, I would say our kitchen energy feels both cozy and intentional.

Speaking of the kitchen, my goal to bake more this year is in full swing, and I’ll give an update at the end of the month, but here’s what was on the menu this week:

I made this Brownie Cake with Cookie Butter Frosting, which was a big hit with everyone. I will note that the brownie took a wee bit longer to bake than the recipe stated, but otherwise, anything with cookie butter has my vote,

I also baked these Nutella Cookies, leaving out the chopped nuts so the kids wouldn’t riot. The Husband absolutely loved them, and I think they will make the permanent rotation.

Finally, my local botanical shop released a special edition Mardi Gras candle, and you can bet I did not pass Go on my way to snatch that up.

So, that’s the Wednesday update. I’m off to get dinner started. Oh, and guess what? Good thing Bean and I did not murder each other in the making of her science fair project. That booger won first place. Will wonders never cease…