I’ve been MIA from the blog for the past couple of weeks because I’ve been insanely busy. I honestly just haven’t felt inspired to develop recipes lately — I’ve been cooking easy standbys because of how busy we’ve been. I started this blog as a creative outlet, and I want to keep it that way. I never want to post something just to meet an arbitrary quota. That means, sometimes, I may be silent for a few days. With that said, I’m hoping to get back into the routine of posting more regularly now that the holidays are over. My goal is to step outside of my comfort zone more when it comes to cooking this year.

Now, let’s get to some of my favorite things from this week! Tell me what you’re loving in the comments section.

Cookbook Club

I’ve mentioned before that I’m part of a cookbook club, and getting together with the group is something I always look forward to. We select a different cookbook to cook from each month, then get together for a potluck using recipes from the book. Our most recent selection was Smitten Kitchen Every Day. I think the title says it all — this is a good cookbook for everyday meals. The recipes are simple, but delicious. Many of the dishes are things I’ve made before, but with surprising twists or ingredients that take the flavor to the next level. I made the marbled bundt cake from the book, which was a dense, rich cake. My favorite dish from our potluck was the sweet potato steaks. They were seasoned with smokey spices and roasted to perfection. I can’t wait to make them!

Under Your Skin

This book took me a while to get into, but now I can’t put it down. It follows Gaby Mortimer, who finds the body of a woman in the woods and quickly finds herself at the center of the criminal investigation. Once you get through the first couple of chapters, this is a real page turner. I’m about 75 percent through the book, and I have no idea how it will end. I need to pickup a couple of other books for our upcoming trip, and I would love recommendations!

The Handmaid’s Tale

I’d been wanting to watch The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu for a while, and I finally got around to it over the weekend. It’s based on the Margaret Atwood book, which I read years ago. If you aren’t familiar with the story, here’s a description from Goodreads:

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now…

Like with the book, I immediately got hooked on the series. I finished all ten episodes over a period of about 48 hours. I don’t know if that’s a new high or a new low! The series is very dark, but so good. I can’t wait for season two.

Korean-style Pork and Rice Bowls

This is one of my all-time favorite Cooking Light recipes. It features gochujang, which is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. It’s a red chili past, which gives the pork a spicy, but sweet, flavor. I like to make these pork bowls when we are craving takeout. I served them with a side of broccoli and some store-bought cream cheese wontons. The leftovers are even better!

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This weekly list of things I’m loving could go on forever this time of year. There are just so many fun things happening! I’d love to know what eats, reads and activities you’re digging this week. Chime in by posting a comment!

Annual cookie and beer exchange

We hosted our favorite party of the year last weekend, and it was so much fun! A big group of our friends came over, bringing along either cookies or beer, and we spent the night being gluttons. There was a wide variety of cookies this year, and we had so many they took up two large tables. The crowd favorites were the molasses spice cookies our friend Mark made. He’s an amazing cook, so I’m not at all surprised. I think molasses and gingerbread cookies are my favorites of the holiday season. I made jam thumbprints, biscotti, almond cut-out cookies, bourbon balls, soft gingerbread cookies, cake batter chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter blossoms. I hoped to make a couple other varieties, but our food processor died last week. I’m crossing my fingers it can be fixed!

The Crown Season 2

We’ve been watching an episode of “The Crown” every night while eating dinner, and I think I love the second season even more than the first. I’ve always been fascinated by the royal family, and I find myself Googling people or events during every episode to find out more. Watching the show makes me long to visit London again. We only have one episode left, which means we’re going to need a new show to binge watch. I want suggestions! What shows are you loving?

Brian Dunne

When we went to see The Secret Sisters in concert earlier this month, we were blown away by their opener. I’d never heard of Brian Dunne before, but I became a fan as soon as he started singing. His powerful voice, coupled with his beautifully-written lyrics, had me hooked. I’ve been listening to his album nonstop lately, and it keeps getting better every time. So many people I know head to concerts late to avoid watching the opener, but we take the opposite approach. We’ve discovered so many of our favorite musicians when they’ve opened for other acts we love!

Trader Joe’s Face Mask Trio

I picked this trio of face masks up during my last Trader Joe’s run, and I’m already regretting not snagging a few extras. I struggle with extremely dry skin in the winter, but using these face masks a couple of times a week is helping. I usually use one before bed, followed by my favorite moisturizer. My skin is definitely more smooth and less flakey.

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Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite things from the week. I’d love to hear what you’re loving lately — chime in by leaving a comment!

Healthier Gingerbread

I haven’t made gingerbread in years, despite it being one of our favorite Christmas cookies. I decided to whip a batch up this week and tried out a healthier version from A Couple Cooks. Guys, these cookies are insanely good! The gingerbread is soft, with the perfect amount of zip from the ginger. This is my new go-to recipe.

Oddball Fermentables

Oddball Fermentables opened in Bloomington last year, and we finally got around to checking it out. They make mead and cysers, which are a cross between cider and mead. I got a flight and liked everything I tried, but I especially loved the HopBerry Blue. It’s a blueberry cyser with Centennial hops, which gives it a delicious bitterness at the end. What I liked most about Oddball is the atmosphere. They’re located in a beautiful old house on Walnut, and, in addition to tables and a bar, there’s a couch and several comfy chairs surrounding their fireplace. It makes you feel like you’re hanging out a friend’s house instead of at a bar.

DIY Christmas Decor

I decided to get a bit crafty this holiday season and make these wooden Christmas trees to add to our usual decor. Our friend Mark helped us cut the wood, James sanded down the edges, and I did the painting! They were so easy to make, and I’m pretty happy with how they turned out. I also forgot how much fun painting can be!

I also made this wood bead garland, but it was definitely more labor intensive. My garland also ended up being only about 2 feet long by the time I got done, so I’m not sure it was worth the effort. But, our house is certainly decked out for the holidays this year.

Orange Theory

I joined Orange Theory when it opened in Bloomington in October, and I’ve been loving the intense group workouts. If you’ve never done an OTF workout before, here’s how it works: You wear a heart rate monitor as you make your way through a series of treadmill, rowing and weight circuits. While it’s a group workout environment, everyone goes at their own pace. You earn splat points for every minute you spend in what’s called the orange zone, which is 84 to 91 percent of your maximum heart rate. I’ve always loved high-intensity workouts, and that’s exactly what you get with OTF. I rarely get bored, and I always leave feeling stronger.

My Best Friend’s Wedding

I had to save the best for last this week. My best friend Katie is getting married in October, and this week she sent out packages asking girls to be in the wedding party. The wine and picture frame she included are so cute! I can’t wait to share MOH duties with our other best friend, Emily. We all live in different parts of the country, so it’s exciting to have fun wedding-related activities like a bachelorette party to reunite us. Let the planning begin!

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In standard Friday fashion, I’m sharing some of my favorite eats, reads and activities from this week.

A Real Christmas Tree

This year James and I picked out our first real Christmas tree together, and it makes me remember why I loved having a real tree every year growing up. The beauty and smell just can’t be replicated! One of the reasons I suggested trying the real deal is because one of our cats actually chews on our fake Christmas tree every year and ends up getting sick. I hoped the taste and texture of a real tree would stop her from trying to eat it. So far, so good! We are on the hunt for a Christmas tree collar to help keep our pets out of the water in the tree stand. We’ve found several we like, but we need one with a hinge on it so we can put it around the tree stand without having to pick the entire tree up. If you have any other suggestions for keeping pets out, send them my way!

Concerts

This week has been full of so much great, live music. It started out with our friends making their debut performance as a couple at Cardinal Spirits. Mark and Ashley are both so talented, but they’d never performed a gig together before. They blew everyone away with their renditions of classic and modern Christmas songs, which definitely heightened my excitement for the holidays. We also hadn’t been to the distillery for a while, so it was nice to try out some of their seasonal cocktails and finally try some of their new food. We’d already eaten dinner, so we just split the creme brûlée. But, it was excellent! We’re hoping to return soon for a proper meal.

We also drove up to Indy to see one of my favorite bands, The Secret Sisters. This was our third time seeing them in concert, and they never disappoint. Laura and Lydia write some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard. Their voices serve as impressive instruments, which makes even the solo guitar that backs them seem unnecessary. I’m so happy to hear they’re nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy this year! While we made the trip for the Sisters, we were pleasantly surprised by the opening act. Brian Dunne’s got some killer pipes! Many of his songs have thoughtfully-written lyrics and brutally honest themes that make me so drawn to country and folk music. We snagged his record at the show, and I think I’ll be playing it on repeat for a while.

The Couple Next Door

My mom lent me a few books to read and the description of ‘The Couple Next Door’ immediately intrigued me. From the moment I started the book, it was hard to put it down. While it’s certainly no literary masterpiece, it’s a quick, suspenseful read. The book follows a married couple who arrives home to discover their baby is missing. The book is full of unexpected, and oftentimes unbelievable, twists. But, sometimes that’s just what you need. I made it through this book in just a couple of days because I was so hooked!

Nashville

We made a quick trip to Nashville to see my brother over the weekend and, as usual, I fell even more in love with the city during our visit. I dragged the guys to 12 South for lunch and shopping. Popping into the shops and indulging ourselves in gourmet burgers and donuts was the best way to spend an afternoon. We knocked a few items off our Christmas shopping lists and sampled no shortage of local brews.

What are your favorite things from this week?

The post Friday Favorites: Concerts & Christmas Trees appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Because it’s friday, I’m sharing a list of things I’m loving this week. Feel free to chime in and tell me about some of your favorite things in the comments!

Friday Pie Day

I’ve been working on a special story about sugar cream pie for work, so we decided to have a pie potluck today because the story aired tonight. Several of us brought in different varieties of pie to share and the sugar comas quickly commenced. We had peach, blueberry custard, coconut sugar cream, key lime, pumpkin praline and sugar cream pies. Every slice I tried was amazing, but the pumpkin praline was my favorite. It was like a pumpkin and pecan pie in one, which is the best of both worlds!

It Cosmetics face cream

When the temperatures drop, my skin gets extremely dry. It’s especially bad on my face and I have a hard time finding a lotion or cream that isn’t immediately sucked up. But, this confidence in a can cream is amazing! It keeps my face moist throughout the day without feeling oily. I’ve been using it both at day and night.

Marsala Meatballs

I stumbled across this recipe when reading through my favorite blogs and thought it sounded like the perfect dinner for a cold night. It was easy to put together, came together rather quickly and tasted absolutely amazing. The leftovers lasted less than 24 hours, so I’ll definitley be making this recipe again. I added a bit of garlic to the meatballs and sauce and cut back on the amount of butter in the recipe.

Facebook Flashbacks

I love the flashback photos that pop up on Facebook each day because they bring back so many fun memories. The one from today is a picture of James and me on the sidelines at a Notre Dame game. We met when we were both working as journalists in South Bend — he worked as a photographer for the newspaper and I was a reporter for a local TV station. We often worked opposite schedules, except for football weekends. While those work days were crazy, seeing him on the sidelines was always the highlight. Neither one of us has gone to a game when we weren’t working, so we need to make it happen next year!

The post Friday Favorites: Pie & Flashbacks appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

As with every Friday, I’m sharing a roundup of some of my favorite things from the week. I’d love to hear what you’re loving, so please chime in by leaving a comment!

Fall In Indiana

That picture of Brown County State Park doesn’t even begin to do the vibrant leaves in Southern Indiana justice. Fall in Indiana came a little later than normal this year, so we are just now reaching peak leaf peeping time. But it was so worth the wait! This is my favorite time of year in Indiana because the area of the state we live in is known for its especially colorful changing leaves, which dot the hilly landscape. I’m hoping to get out and hike this weekend to take in more of the beautiful scenery.

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor

I don’t know how it took me so long to make a visit to Zaharakos ice cream parlor in downtown Columbus, Ind. Stepping into the more than 100-year-old ice cream parlor is truly like stepping into a different era. The gorgeous soda fountains date back to the early 1900s, when the original owners purchased them at the World’s Fair. There’s even an organ that plays music while you enjoy a meal or dessert.

All of the ice cream is made in house and the menu offers classics like ice cream sodas and banana splits. I had a caramel sundae that was excellent! Zaharakos is already decked out in beautiful Christmas decorations, which makes it seem even more magical. I can’t wait to go back!

White Texas Sheet Cake

When I asked one of my friends what kind of birthday cake she wanted this week, she requested my white Texas sheet cake, which has by far become my most popular dessert. It goes to show a recipe doesn’t have to be fancy or sophisticated to be good — this cake is among the easiest to throw together. I love that it feeds a crowd and can also be put together relatively quickly. If you aren’t a pie person, this is a great option for a Thanksgiving dessert!

‘Stranger Things’ Meets Motown

This skit from The Late Late Show combines two of my current obsessions: Stranger Things and Motown. James and I are making our way through season two of the Netflix series right now and just saw Motown The Musical last week, so we can’t get enough of this mashup. I’m amazed by how crazy talented all of those kids are!

The post Friday Favorites: Changing Leaves & Motown Mashup appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Wedding Season

This fall has been a busy one for us because we’ve had a few friends get married. This will be the second weekend in a row we’re attending a wedding and I love it! I’m a total romantic and love celebrating people falling in love. Weddings also tend to be like mini reunions, so it’s a blast getting to see familiar faces and meet so many new people.

Cookbook Club

I’m part of a monthly cookbook club with a group of amazing ladies and this month’s get together was my favorite yet. The woman who hosted this week has a wood-fired pizza oven, so we cooked from Bianco and Pizza Camp. I think I was in a carb coma for two days after sampling so many slices of delicious pizza. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I especially loved the pizza topped with braised fennel and leeks. I need to recreate it soon!

Best Friend Reunion

In addition to celebrating our friends who are getting married this weekend, we also get to spend some time with our best friends from South Bend. Molly and I started the same week at our first job out of college and instantly became friends. We also worked with Angelo, who is now her husband! They’re some of the most laid back and fun people we know and we cannot wait to catch up. Whether we’re sitting around the house or out for a night on the town, there is never a shortage of laughs among our group!

The post Friday Favorites: Wedding Season And Cookbook Club appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Girls’ Trip To Denver

I’ve been looking forward to this weekend forever because I’m meeting my best friends Katie and Emily in Denver for a few days! We all live in different regions of the country and decided to meet somewhere instead of reuniting where one of us lives. The three of us haven’t been together since December and we haven’t had a trip with just the girls in forever. We love our guys, but it will be so much fun for it to be just us this time around. Between Katie’s recent engagement and Em’s upcoming birthday, we have lots to celebrate. Our only plans involve eating and drinking our way through the city and being outdoors as much as possible. I’m excited to take them to some of the places James and I discovered on our road trip over the summer. If you have any recommendations, send them my way!

Fig And Honey Toast

Guys, I can’t get enough of this breakfast that I posted earlier this week. It’s so simple but delicious and felt like such a treat each morning. I’m a little sad I won’t be at this weekend’s farmers’ market to snag more gorgeous figs.

Young House Love Podcast

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Young House Love blog  but only recently discovered John and Sherry have a podcast. It’s quickly become the one I look forward to most every week and I think it’s because it’s so different but from the true crime and news-centered podcasts I typically gravitate towards. I love John and Sherry’s sense of humor and have learned a lot just from hearing them talk about projects they’re tackling. I’ve used several of the tips they’ve talked about in previous episodes to make changes to our own house. And, their most recent episode has me dreaming of paying off our mortgage early. Go listen!

What are you loving this week? Tell me in the comments! 

The post Friday Favorites: Girls’ Trip & Young House Love appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

This week has been a hectic but amazing one. We spent last weekend back in Illinois for a Cubs game, which is how I’ll kick off this week’s list of favorite things:

A trip to Wrigley Field

We spent last Saturday driving to Chicago to see the Cubs beat the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. We went to the game with my parents and aunt, uncle and cousin, who came up from Arkansas. We’re all big Cubs fans, but Zoe had never been to a game! We sat in the first row along right field, which are likely the best seats we’ll ever have at Wrigley. Having to keep our eyes open for foul balls added to the excitement of the game and it was special being able to share the experience with family. James and I had actually never been to a game at Wrigley together, which is hard to believe! Zoe even got a home run ball to take home.

While we were there, we tracked down a brick dedicated to my dad, uncle and grandpa, which is right behind the bleachers at Wrigley. We have a replica of it sitting on the fireplace at my parents’ house, but being able to finally see the real thing in person was the highlight of the outing for me.

Garden & Gun Margo Price profile

I’m a huge Margo Price fan, so I was thrilled to see her featured in the most recent issue of Garden & Gun. I love the amount of detail Price puts into her lyrics and I appreciate them even more after reading more about her backstory. I’m anxiously awaiting the release of her new album next month and can’t stop stalking her website for concerts near us. If you’re a fan of old school country and folk music, I can’t recommend Price enough.

Sheet pan dinners

We’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had much time to experiment in the kitchen. Getting dinner on the table period has been challenging, so I’ve been making a lot of sheet pan dinners. I throw a few chicken sausages and whatever veggies we have on hand onto a large baking sheet and roast it all for about 30 minutes. It may not be the most elaborate or creative meal, but it’s so much better than running through a drive thru and gives us leftovers for lunches!

What are you loving this week? Chime in by leaving a comment!

The post Friday Favorites: Baseball & Music appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Because it’s Friday, I’m sharing a list of my favorite things from this week. I love getting recommendations from others, so let me know what you’re digging in the comments below!

Homemade Chicken Stock

Temperatures dipped into the upper 60s and low 70s this week, which I decided meant it’s officially soup season! I’m a big soup lover and try to get in the habit of making homemade chicken or vegetable stock at least twice a month during the fall and winter months. I make mine using root veggies I have on hand, onion, garlic, lots of peppercorns and a large chicken. I cover it all in filtered water let it simmer on the stove for a couple of hours before removing and shredding the chicken and straining the broth. It makes the house smell delicious and gives us a ton of chicken to use in tacos, sandwiches, soups and salads all week. I usually freeze half of each batch of broth and then use the other half to make some homemade soup the same day.

Rhinegeist Beer In Indiana

James and I first discovered Rhinegeist beer when we took a trip to Cincinnati for our “minimoon” the weekend after our wedding. We fell in love with the atmosphere at the brewery and the impressive list of IPAs. We’ve tried to snag some six packs to bring back to Indiana every time we’ve been in Ohio since then, but now we won’t have to! Rhinegeist started distributing in Indiana this week and I’m thrilled. They have lots of great beers, but their Truth IPA is among my favorites. There are tap takeovers happening all over Bloomington this week to celebrate Rhinegeist’s arrival and I’m hoping to grab a pint before they kick all of the kegs. I saw a rosé ale cider of theirs at the grocery store, which I’m dying to try. It sounds like the perfect middle ground when I can’t decide between beer and wine. Cheers to more great beer in the Hoosier state!

Cat Cuddles

For those of you who don’t know, we’ve got two cats who pretty much rule the house. They can be a bit high maintenance at times — especially Lucia. She gets extra cuddly after we’ve been gone for a few days, which I fully embrace. She’s been by my side nonstop since we got back from vacation and I couldn’t resist asking James to snap a picture when she appeared to be planking on me earlier this week. Pets are the best.

No More Trash Tags

You know you’re an adult when … you get excited about your trash service! Let me explain: up until now our city required residents to buy trash tags for each bin of trash they wanted crews to pick up. Residents could only have trash cans that were 35-gallons or smaller because the city still had people manually unloading them. It was a pain in the butt when we had large parties and found ourselves with excessive amounts of trash or when we were taking our cans to the curb and realized we had to run to the grocery store to get tags. We will pay extra in our monthly bill for these new trash and recycling containers, but it’s so worth it for the convenience! #adulthood

What are you loving this week?

The post Friday Favorites: Comfort food & cat cuddles appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.