What I’m Cooking

We’ve been in Sun Valley, Idaho, since before the 4th of July and I’m back to having a kitchen! Which means that after a hiatus caused by all my cooking equipment getting boxed and moved to storage, I have a space that feels comfortable for cooking and creating. We made some obligatory sides for the 4th to go with burgers (my menu is linked here) and I must say I’m obsessed with the leftover Greek yogurt slaw on toasted sourdough turkey sandwiches.

For my mom’s birthday, which we always celebrate on my sister’s deck with a group of family members, I made an easy dry-rubbed pork shoulder in the slow cooker. The recipe is in my cookbook and it’s a family favorite. I stirred in some honey barbecue sauce after I shredded the meat and pulled out the bone from each cut. I prefer purchasing bone-in pulled pork because it has more flavor. I stirred in about a cup of sauce. I made a triple recipe to feed 13 and have leftovers, so if you’re making the recipe from my cookbook, just add 1/3 cup of sauce for more BBQ flavor, then serve any extra sauce on the side. We had two types of rolls, Bubbie’s bread and butter pickles, and an array of mustards on the side, and it was a simple menu for a crowd. My same coleslaw recipe from last week made an appearance, as well as spinach salad with pesto and peas that’s been in rotation for years. It’s a riff on an Ina Garten recipe that I’ve simplified. I don’t think you need to cook the peas and I add lemon juice and a little olive oil if the salad feels dry, and if you’re in a hurry, purchase store-bought pesto. Just look for a refrigerated brand that seems bright green in the container. I didn’t have pine nuts to toss in, so I added sliced almonds for some crunch and color variation. I also like to shave fresh parmesan or pecorino on top before serving.

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

Five Star Weekend, an adaptation of an Elin Hilderbrand book starring Jennifer Garner, which required me to add a Peacock subscription to Amazon Video, which I’ll need to remember to cancel!

On the plane to Sun Valley, I read Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick. I first felt the pacing was a little slow and expected, but the book tied things up in the 4th quarter and made me a fan. I’ve listened to the author’s podcast and was excited to read her debut novel.

Next up on my summer reading list: Shampoo Effect, Kill Your Darlings, and The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.

What’s In My Cart

The joy of moving is that it makes you purge, purge, purge. I’ve mostly been helping my oldest look for work clothes as she transitions into adulting. She’s in a creative field, so trousers and tops are the name of the game. She can change things up with belts, thrifted bags and jewelry. Reformation was our go-to this week, with this navy blouse that pairs well with grey trousers, plus this butter-yellow blouse that will be perfect with black pants and ballet flats. I eyed this yellow blouse for my youngest, and these linen pants caught my eye, but I didn’t pull the trigger. When we moved out and purged closets, we mailed giveaway clothes to Thred Up and you can opt for Reformation credit. It’s a great way to recycle clothing. I get the Reformation + Thred Up bags at Ref stores.

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This Week’s Gratitude

We spent one early morning this week driving up to a mountain lake with my niece’s two adorable kiddos, my parents, two of my kids and my sister and brother-in-law. We packed a morning picnic and cruised out in a pontoon boat. It was a cool morning and we bundled up in sweatshirts to start, but soon everyone was peeling off layers. Some of our group were brave enough to dive into the very cold water to jump off rocks into the lake, but I happily sat and observed! It was a peaceful and fun multigenerational morning!

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

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What I’m Cooking

My 4th of July menu is still not solidified. We head to the mountains today and I’ll need to hit the grocery store and get ready for house guests and family. I’ve brainstormed with my kids about what they want stocked in the fridge for the weekend, which mostly includes variations of cold salads: chicken salad, kale salad, pasta salad and Cowboy Caviar. Since we’re rolling into town the day before the 4th of July, I plan to purchase some of these from a local restaurant and deli. But I need a main dish for the 4th that I can pull off with ease. My family vetoed pulled pork sandos, which would be so easy to throw together in a slow cooker (the recipe is in my cookbook. The people have spoken (meaning my bossy kids) and everyone wants burgers on the grill, topped with a double layer of ooey American cheese, cole slaw and a simple watermelon-feta-mint salad. The patties can be assembled the night before or the morning of the 4th and grilled whenever you’re ready to eat. The recipe I use in cooking classes is a simplified version of Ina Garten's blue cheese burger recipe (my version is linked here). If you’re not a fan of red meat, you can also make the skillet turkey burgers I’ve shared before.

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

We just returned home from Jamaica, where I finished two books, Abby Offsides (a Beach Reads and Bubbly rec) and The Guest. Not sure I’d recommend the latter, I struggled through it only to be rewarded with a very unsatisfying ending, but Abby Offsides was a perfect summer beach read for World Cup fandom.

What’s In My Cart

I just shared some dorm decor finds that I’ve been working on for my daughter, and we still haven’t ordered anything. I squandered Amazon Prime Day because we just weren’t ready to make decisions or commit to what she needed. But I do think it’s better to wait and make good purchases (the clock is ticking, and we need to get ordering after the 4th). If you’re looking for a summer wardrobe refresh, Veronica Beard has 25% off online. I recently got this lightweight white blouse and love it (I also got it in the raisin color because I loved the fit so much).

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This Week’s Gratitude

My heart is heavy today as I think about the grieving parents and families who lost daughters in the Texas floods one year ago. I’m thinking of the girls who were at camp, remembering the friends or cousins they lost, and the worried parents who rushed to pick them up. I’m holding you in my heart today and lifting you up. I’m grateful for my community, the strength of mothers who seem to hold up the world, and all those who provide the side pillars of strength for those who need to be held up.

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

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• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

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College orientation is checked off the list. Last week, we drove back from Ft. Worth to Houston on a traffic-filled highway with seemingly everyone else in Texas. It’s not a long drive, but as the locals say, it’s a boring one. In our delirium, my daughter and I made a list of everything she still needs for her dorm room. I meant to get this post out before Amazon Prime Day started, but I got just a lit-tle bit distracted with moving out of our home in Houston and getting everything into storage for the next month. We ran out of space in our storage midway through and I had to scramble for a second unit. But our move is checked off the list, and I’m sitting in the United Club in Houston, about to head to Jamaica for some R&R with my family. Just in case you’re looking for dorm items or know someone who is, I thought I’d share our list. If that’s not you, I apologize. Just click on over to my Travel Guides or Recipes instead!

I tend to be a “less is more” person and this is my third time moving a kid to college. That said, this particular child has a lot of opinions and ideas about her room (she is an interior design major, after all), so she’s not just handing the project over to me. She’s very focused on the “decor” aspect, like the headboard, rug, and a hutch for her “vanity,” which is also known as a desk in some dorm rooms. Happy shopping!

The Dorm List

My entire shop of dorm essentials I’ve saved over the years is here. Take “essentials” with a grain of salt. I don’t think all of the items saved in my Amazon shop are essentials by any means, and again, “less is more.” What you move in, you have to move out.

• Headboard. I’m struggling with this purchase because I want it to be secure so it doesn’t fall forward or feel floppy. My interior design student is more focused on the “look.” Dorm Decor headboards seem solid and this moss green scalloped headboard is cute and this Amazon one with contrast piping. If any moms have suggestions for headboards that work well with wood-framed twin dorm beds, please comment below.

• Rug. Ideally, I’d love to get a washable rug, even though I doubt it will get washed all year. But that way it can be reused for an apartment down the road. I saw this and this in pink, this and this in sage/taupe and this and this in blue. Use code SMART15 for a first-time discount on Ruggable. Look for the “all-in-one” rugs, I don’t really like the ones with a separate pad. Amazon also has rugs on sale: this in pink, this in blue, and this.

• Storage ottoman. This leather option would be great for a boy. I liked this but the design student wasn’t a fan of the fabric. This rattan option is great because it won’t get dirty when they inevitably stand on it to get into bed

• A bed skirt that slides open from the middle would be ideal, so you can easily get to items underneath. I’ve seen them on Etsy, but you need to know the drop length from the bottom of the mattress to the floor. I might order this after we move in so I get it right! I also found this more tailored one that can be returned if it doesn’t work. And this scalloped bed skirt is so cute.

• Mattress topper. I bought my oldest daughter this pricey Sleepyhead topper (and the 2" is on sale!) but they usually only have it for one year and then end up with a full or queen bed. My son used this less expensive 3-inch foam topper and loved it.

• XL Twin Bedding. I also tend to like organic bamboo sheets or these because they’re extra soft. There’s also super cute bedding from a company called Look Linen, but it’s an investment. They have 20%-off on their dorm bundles right now. You could order inexpensive sheets from Amazon and get a more special lumbar or king pillow to pull everything together.

• Rolling storage cart. Great for desk supplies, makeup, etc.

• Under-bed storage. You can also usually push a dresser under a raised dorm bed. This 4-pack of stackable plastic drawers might also come in handy.

• Shower caddy. We’re on the hunt for one that hangs on the shower head so you don’t have to put it on the floor. This one is cuter but it would have to go on the floor! This might be an option too.

• Shower shoes, available in tons of colors.

• Cordless vacuum. My older kids started with this inexpensive handheld vacuum and it did the trick.

• Bedside caddy or shelf. You don’t really need these if you have a high bedside table, but sometimes it’s nice for easy access to a water bottle and phone.

• Power strip. This one also has a phone charging outlet.

• Makeup mirror

• Air purifier (that’s the one I got for my older two) and I’ve seen a lot of talk about this one. I really want to get this Dyson air purifier and fan combo, but it’s so darn expensive and it might take up too much space.

• Desk lamp (this is cute in pink or a clip-on light for a dorm bed. These wireless lamps are great. This is an inexpensive accent lamp, but I got vetoed on this one.

• Desk hutch or this one.

• Compact printer. Still doing research on this one!

• Blackout curtains. A friend who is a designer got these in green ticking stripe for her daughter. These scalloped panels are cute, but I don’t think they’re completely blackout (which might be best for kiddos with 8 am classes!). If you need short curtains because of bed placement, check out these. This blackout option with the pompom trim is also cute. Hanging the curtains can be a challenge, depending on the window design and dorm rules. I’m not sure if these adhesive curtain hangers or these will work. You can also try these tension rods.

• Small bulletin board. Some dorm rooms come with these installed, and you’ll want to check the rules for attaching them to walls.

• Small water filter for fridge or filtered water bottle. I’m going to skip the ice maker that my son talked me into because they get gross very fast!

• Laundry basket. I like this one with wheels but it’s small and will fill up fast, or my son has this and the straps are long enough to throw over your shoulder and head to the laundry room.

• Clothing steamer

• Lola blanket dupe or bed throw

• Closet organization. I might need to see what we’re working with before ordering much, but I have a feeling my clothing-obsessed child will need to get creative with her hanging clothes and shoes. TBD for now! We will for sure get some of these to combat moisture and mold!

  Where To Shop

Note: I haven’t ordered from all of these online stores; this is just part of my research list for dorm decor!

Pottery Barn Dorm

Dorm Decor

Dormify

Dorm Pop

DormCo

Ballard Designs Dorm Collection

Ruggable

Amazon (I have a shop with my saved dorm items.)

Shop My Shelves

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

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Substack Housekeeping

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• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

Life is a little chaotic at the moment. Dinners are honestly the last thing on my mind or my to-do list. Everything in our house is getting packed and put in storage, starting TODAY, and my will to feed people is at zero. It’s been a real crawl across the finish line as we’ve cooked from our freezer, fridge and pantry for the past couple of weeks. We’ve had our fair share of pasta, omelets and sandwiches in the midst of purging and packing. About the only things left in our freezer are dumplings, frozen rice, and chicken stock. Plus some shishitos and spinach in the fridge. If you find yourself with a similar glut of ingredients, I highly suggest a pot of dumpling soup and a pan of shishitos. Fast, satisfying and delicious.

Super Easy Wonton Soup

95.7KB ∙ PDF file

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Download

Blistered Shishito Peppers

73.1KB ∙ PDF file

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You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

I’m not sure what it says about me that the two genres of television I love the most are CIA or MI6 dramas or coming-of-age teenage dramas. I just binged Every Year After and it was full of, as my daughter would say, “cringe” moments that lend to secondhand embarrassment. But that said, it was a great escape from packing and move-related to do lists. I read all the books in this series, so if you are intent on reading the book before watching the show, start here. If you’re looking for a summer read, I finished Whistler last week and it was wonderful with a storyline full of family relationships, marriage and sisterhood. Next up: Still Life by Sarah Winman.

What’s In My Cart

Most of my shopping this week has revolved around dorm decor for my youngest. We just wrapped up her freshman orientation and I now have a list a mile long of everything we need to procure for her dorm. Yikes. The one fun thing I snagged for myself are these super cute raffia slides from Loeffler Randall. I could have added a lot more to my cart, like this head scarf (all the cute young girls on Citibikes in NYC were wearing these, not sure I can pull it off!) or this cute dress for the 4th of July or this adorable white dress with the sinched waist. Or this white crochet skirt and top, which would be perfect over a swimsuit on vacation (which I’m happy to report starts the day after our belongings and furniture get locked up in storage)!

PS: One of the sweet women in my cooking school membership sent me a link for this off-white pleated skirt that looks just like the Jenny Kayne one I own in grey. I wear it all the time, dressed up or dressed down with a t-shirt and sneakers!

PS2: We had to pack for our post-move trip to Jamaica (so excited) and I was sure to pack this bandeau swimsuit that I have in red and brown. Also, I’m not usually a fan of shorts, but I love these comfy linen shorts to wear over a swimsuit (I have them in brown and I was tempted to get them in white, too). Size down if you don’t like a loose fit, but medium was perfect for me.

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This Week’s Gratitude

Honestly, I’m just very grateful my kids don’t seem sad and depressed about our impending move. We aren’t going far, but we’ve lived in our current home for 14 years, and those were the elementary, middle school, and high school years, which are formative, to say the least. There are a lot of memories and laughter in these walls and I know next week will include some tears and maybe a little heartache as we say goodbye. But I do know we have new memories waiting for us in a new spot. Change is good, as they say, except when it’s not. But in my heart of hearts, I know this will be a positive new beginning in our empty-nest abode with a revolving door of our kids coming and going.

Note: I may skip Friday Favorites next week, but it’s possible that I could also get a burst of energy or want an excuse to sneak away with my laptop while the movers are here. Either way, I hope you all have a peaceful week!

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

It’s summer and that means it’s time for fresh, simple meals. Fish to the rescue! This time of year, when it’s too hot for a heavy meal, I crave simply roasted fish with a bright herby sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice. Lucky for you, my online fish course is on sale. Fearless Fish is a pre-recorded class that you can watch again and again. It includes bonus recipes for some of my favorite fish recipes that I teach in Basics and cooking classes. Download them to your computer or access them through the course link. The pre-recorded online class is $20 off right now with code FISH20. Here’s a little taste of what you can expect in the course! This downloadable PDF has recipes, tips and photos from some of my favorite Dinner is Done fish recipes.

Fearless Fish Recipe Ebook Pdf

6.06MB ∙ PDF file

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Download

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

My oldest daughter tipped me off to a new series that ticks all my boxes, and then I proceeded to binge the entire season before she finished episode 1. Legends is based on a true story about customs officers in Great Britain who take down a high-powered heroin operation. Highly recommend!

If you’re more in the mood for a good read, let me gush about the luxurious writing and story lines in Whistler. This book, with an image of a horse on the cover, is not at all what I was expecting in the best possible way. I’m one-third of the way through and excited to continue reading. Ann Patchett is a national treasure.

What I’m Coveting

Well, I’m about to hit the pavement in NYC and head to some furniture and tabletop stores, so check IG stories for any fun finds. Yesterday, I popped into Nicky Kehoe and fell in love with this oversized wood salad bowl and knit pot stands that will protect your countertops if you set down a hot, bubbly pot full of dinner ready to dish up. I have my walking shoes on and I’m ready to head out the door to check out the goods.

In other news, I’ve been eyeing some “beach pants” to add to my summer wardrobe. After we move out of our house and pack everything into storage for a month, we have a quick trip to Jamaica to lie on lounge chairs and recover. I wanted some lightweight pants I could throw over a swimsuit and then wear with flip flops to breakfast. I ended up getting these striped linen pants from Reformation, but was also eyeing these and these and these. Check out my deep dive on one-piece swimsuits and straw bags.

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This Week’s Gratitude

I’m taking a quick break from a stressful move (it’s not any more stressful than any other move, just stressful because it’s a move!) to be in NYC with my kids for a couple of days. Laughing and cheering with them while watching the Knicks game (on TV in our hotel room, don’t get any ideas, people!), splitting my sides laughing at Maya Rudolph in Oh, Mary, and getting a slice at our favorite Nolita spot is medicine for the soul.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

I’ve been periodically transferring meat and ingredients from the freezer to the fridge and from the pantry to the countertop to work them into meals. This week, our ingredients of choice are ground turkey, fresh falafel patties I purchased from Phoenicia Market in Houston and chicken chorizo sausage. My oldest daughter is working remotely this week, so I’m planning high-protein morning scrambles centered on Breakfast Meatballs and lunches at home. The falafel patties can be pan-seared and served with hummus and a chopped cucumber-tomato salad for a tasty “not sad desk lunch.” Also, anyone else with college kids home for summer knows that “lunches at home” is an aspirational idea.

For the ground turkey, I can’t decide whether to make Turkey Meatloaf, an easy Ground Turkey and Green Bean Stir Fry, Turkey Burgers or The Best Meatballs (recipe below, make with ground turkey instead of ground beef). Serve the meatballs, simmered in tomato sauce, with pasta or on top of steamed spinach; both are delicious options. (Spoiler alert: That’s what we made and it was perfect.)

Chicken chorizo sausage can be crumbled into a pre-heated pan and cooked until crumbly. Then use it in a rice bowl with black beans, avocado, and salsa, in chorizo tacos or quesadillas. The sausage would also be perfect for a sheet pan or skillet dinner with sauteed summer squash, bell peppers and red onion.

PDF recipes for my favorite meatballs and the easiest ground turkey stir fry are included below for paid subscribers.

Read more

What I’m Cooking

I’m heading to a friend’s lake house this weekend and I batch-cooked a couple of easy breakfast items to take with me. Breakfast Meatballs are an idea I got from Caro Chambers. I don’t use almond flour or baking powder in mine, but the almond flour would keep things gluten-free if you want to sub it for the breadcrumbs (my recipe attachment below and I linked Caro’s above). I like using up the homemade breadcrumbs I keep in my freezer, and I’m in “use up the freezer and fridge” mode before a big move later this month. There are a lot of things you could make to take on a summer weekend trip or a road trip to a beach or lake house. If you’re not assigned something specific, just show up with something to make the weekend easier. Your host can always take it home if you don’t end up using it for weekend meals. Consider a big batch of roasted Sage and Rosemary Nuts, My Favorite Granola, Brown Butter Rice Crispy Treats, Banana Snacking Cake, or a jar of homemade salad dressing or Cowboy Caviar for afternoon snacking after a day on the lake!

Breakfast Meatballs

88.1KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Reading

I just finished Kathryn Stockett’s Calamity Club, and it’s full of fabulously unhinged Southern women, whom you will miss when the book is over. I saved this read for the weekend we moved my daughter from DC to NY and it was the perfect page-turner for two flights and an almost 5-hour car ride. Savor it on summer travels or quiet weekends. Next up: Whistler by Ann Patchett, which I heard she wrote on a treadmill desk.

What’s In My Cart

Here’s a quick recap of what was popular around here in May. Next up, looking for a swimsuit that’s flattering, does that even exist for 52-year-old women?

• J.Crew’s Irish linen shirt in French blue and striped boatneck dress

• YSE Primer (my FAVE! I wear it over moisturizer and under makeup, but if you’re in a hurry, it’s a great light layer without makeup.)

• Spanx beach shorts and Spanx bandeau swimsuit (both in brown)

• New Balance + Sezanne collab

• Digital Video Camera (use code SMART7 for a small discount)

• Solana Thong Sandal on sale!

• Hunter Bell Nantucket Dress in red, white and blue (the solid navy version is on sale in my size, tempting!)

• No Makeup Makeup - perfect to keep in your carry-on or beach bag

• Slingbacks (on sale), I have these in an animal print and they are my favorites!

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This Week’s Gratitude

I know my weekend ahead will be full of laughing with friends (and one of my daughters) and that alone leaves me feeling weirdly peaceful. I’m also very grateful for the sweetest group of movers that showed up at 7 am yesterday and left at 6 pm. We got the first chunk of my move out of the way and it felt so good to get the ball rolling (attic was moved to the garage, furniture I’m selling in the garage as well, etc). Things are happening!

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

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Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

May has been an endless string of events and gatherings: Mother’s Day, a trip to Washington, D.C. for a college graduation, back to Houston for a high school graduation, my 25th wedding anniversary and lots of house meetings and closet purging in between. There is literally so much that has happened this month that it feels like it’s on a loop. I’m heading back to D.C. tomorrow to help our oldest move. All that to say, there hasn’t been a whole lot of cooking around here. Last night we had (delicious) green onion and aged cheddar slow-cooked eggs with a tangy butter lettuce salad. My husband and I were enjoying our super fancy meal with a glass of rosé when my son came home and started teasing us about “living that empty nester life.” We did have a fabulous dinner out this week to celebrate our anniversary at BCN. We sat at the bar and enjoyed their Spanish-inspired menu with a crisp bottle of Albarino. If you’re in Houston, it’s one of the best restaurants in town, in my humble opinion. In terms of a recipe for the weekend, why not bake some delicious muffins since we’re embarking on cherry season? These are some of my favorite summer baked goods, and warm, fresh-baked goodies always hit the spot.

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

I haven’t started anything new this week, but I‘m hoarding summer reads like nobody’s business. It was a busy week getting my youngest ready for an international backpacking trip, and I had some house things to get done (it’s exciting to see light fixtures installed in our new house). I also fulfilled cookbook pick-up orders from our cookbook moving sale, details below. Did anyone else watch the season finale of The Testaments? It was insanely good, with a cameo from Margaret Atwood.

What’s In My Cart

Nothing! I’m moving all my belongings to storage in June and there’s nothing that makes you NOT want to bring things home like an impending move. If you’re not moving like me and you’re hunting for summer basics, I have to say J.Crew is on point right now with striped t-shirt shifts, comfy drop-waist sundresses, and my favorite linen shirt. I also thought this New Balance sneaker collab with Sézane was tres chic.

Shop My Shelves

This Week’s Gratitude

My greatest gratitude this week was the privilege of celebrating 25 years of marriage to my favorite person. It never really felt like a decision, but nevertheless, it was the best decision I ever made.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

MOVING SALE! Use code MOVING for 25%-off my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

Dried pasta is my favorite “lazy” dinner. It’s fast, a pantry staple and always satisfying. Use the steps below to take your pasta at home from ho-hum to extra delicious. They are simple tips that make a big difference in the final outcome of a pasta dish.

Read more

What I’m Cooking

We just shared my favorite cheese bread recipe on Instagram, which has been popular. I can tell you it’s been a fan favorite recipe in our house over the years! It’s usually a side to grilled flank steak, steamed broccoli or grilled asparagus and steamed rice to soak up the soy-based flank steak flavors. It’s the perfect meal, and I highly recommend you recreate it for Memorial Day or any day!

Usually, making the cheese bread is my husband’s job, and he takes it very seriously. It’s a Smart-family recipe that’s been in heavy rotation for decades.

For dinner last night, we had a taco night buffet of my favorite taco meat, La Taqueria sauce, refried beans, and Mexican rice. Delish! Another crowd please of a meal that you can size up to feed a crowd.

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

Summer reading is just beginning! My favorite time of year!

The Calamity Club is first up. I haven’t started; I need to get through high school graduation first. But I am beyond excited about my lineup for May and June.

The Shampoo Effect is from the same author as Pineapple Street and hits the middle-aged theme for me.

Jodi Picault is a favorite writer, so I must add this to my summer list.

Here’s a whole list of summer reads from Goodreads!

What’s In My Cart

My youngest was dying over this retro video camera when a friend had it at a party recently. It cracks me up how all things 90s are cool again. We got her one to make videos on summer travels. The videos will download to your computer so you can edit and save them! It’s on sale for Memorial Day weekend with free shipping.

It was fun filming a Crate & Barrel video with some basics I’m planning to pack for my daughter when she moves to NYC later this summer. They have some great wooden utensils, glass storage containers and kitchen basics.

J.Crew is having an incredible sale and I stocked up on my favorite linen button-down in light blue (I had to part with one recently that had too many cooking stains on it!) and a lightweight summer dress that’s 50% off right now. I also eyed this and these and this dress would be so cute with a jean jacket thrown over your shoulders for summer travels.

I just got these red linen pants for summer, and of course, they’re now on sale. But I love them and have no regrets! Do not size up in Boden, I feel like everything runs a little on the larger size.

YSE is having a sale this weekend also, and I love their glowy primer, exfoliating gel, and exfoliating pads (which I just got in travel size).

Shop My Shelves

This Week’s Gratitude

We have both sets of grandparents in town for my youngest’s high school graduation this week. We are beyond lucky to have dual sets of parents who are engaged, healthy and interested in their grandchildren! It’s a celebration week after a celebration week.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

SALE ALERT! Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more. Use code “MOVING” for a great discount!

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

Chili onion crunch, honey and soy sauce make for the perfect quick dinner sauce. I’ve made variations of this in the past, but this one was truly a 5-minute miracle of a recipe. And virtually no prep! Just what Maycember needs. I served mine with a simple green salad, but it would be great with steamed spinach, roasted asparagus, or steamed broccoli to soak up the sauce.

Make in a small baking dish that just fits the fish, if possible (a little large is fine). Since this sauce has honey in it and not much liquid, I didn’t cook it on a sheet pan because it would have likely burned on the larger surface area. If you only have a sheet pan, no worries, just cover the pan with foil.

A note about cooking with foil: only use it as a cover for food to prevent burning, or to keep things warm. I don’t cook directly ON foil because you don’t want the aluminum to leach into your food.

Here’s the recipe and a photo of a similar salmon recipe because we devoured ours as soon as it came out of the oven!
‌
On the topic of salmon, I had the best afternoon snack this week. I was “starving” in the late afternoon after a day of errands and appointments. I cracked open a tin of Smoked Salmon from Fishwife and used a fork to place pieces on Ella’s Flats seeded crackers. It was fast, delicious and about 30 grams of protein. I have discount codes for both! SMART15 at Ella’s Flats and SMART10 at Fishwife.

Honey Chili Crisp Salmon

94.8KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

I just finished Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune, my favorite Canadian author. She is the queen of gorgeous green settings, lakes and boats, and that summer feeling of relaxed glee. Next up: Still Life or Meet Me in Italy.

Still obsessed with The Testaments on Hulu. The main actress, Chase Infiniti, is so good. She was the daughter in One Battle After Another (and my favorite part of that movie).

What’s In My Cart

We’re going to break this down quickly, because although I did a massive closet purge with Paulina Padilla recently (more on that below), there’s lots to share.

• Merit makeup and skincare is SO GOOD. A friend gifted me their Day Glow last summer and I use it every day, but I recently tried their serum and mascara. I am so picky about mascara because I don’t want it to be too thick or clumpy, and this one is perfect. One of my daughters promptly stole the serum from me; it’s an understated glowy layer under makeup. Their “sheer pink” tinted lip oil is always in my bag!

• J.Crew is having a 40%-off sale, and I stocked up on a couple of things: this navy dress and my favorite linen shirt, which I often wear in cooking videos.

• I’m on the hunt for the perfect summer straw bag and have been saving them all to a page on my ShopMy—something small that would work for dinner or daytime. I think I found the one, this ALC bag that would pack flat for a vacation. I also loved this, this, and even these two inexpensive options from Amazon and Target.

• Marion Parke is having a sitewide 25%-off sale, but it’s bittersweet because the brand is shutting its doors. I love these shoes! They are seriously the most comfortable shoes, designed and created by a podiatrist.

• Sami Jewel’s birthstone ring would be such a cute gift. They recently gifted me this ring. The ring would be a fun vacation piece instead of packing nice jewelry.

• Spanx has a summer short set with a linen top in brown that I got for summer, and this swimsuit in “caraway” to match! Some of my favorite AirEssentials super soft sweatshirts from Spanx are also on sale.

Paulina Padilla came over recently to go through my closet piece by piece and eliminate what needed to go. She used a rolling rack to evaluate every piece of clothing in my closet, then asked me how often I wore certain items and whether I wanted to keep them. It was such an efficient way to reorganize and purge my closet, from a stylist’s perspective, before my summer move. She then helped me book her contact at The Real Real to come in person to box up items for resale. It was so satisfying to get things out the door! If any Houston locals want the Real Real contact, he has given me permission to share.

Shop My Shelves

This Week’s Gratitude

I loved contributing to this article on where to eat in Paris on The Gomes Guide and this article about Key Lime Pie for Joy the Baker. Please check them out and leave a comment! Have a great weekend, everyone! I’ll be watching my oldest graduate from college—the past four years went by at warp speed.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

SALE ALERT! Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done, at a 25% discount with code MOVING! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

This is seriously the best burger recipe, no hyperbole involved. I’ve simplified it a bit from the original and it’s my go-to for grilling or smash burgers. I honestly prefer smash burgers, cooked on a hot cast-iron pan or griddle with all the juices and flavors sizzling and sealed into the meat. We made these last Sunday night and served them with a simple side of watermelon. Make homemade thousand island dressing or sriracha mayo to slather on the buns. I am a die-hard fan of American cheese melted on a cheeseburger; two slices are even better.

The Best Burgers

98KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Reading

American Fantasy, anyone? I can’t decide how I feel about this book. I can’t totally get into it, as much as I love Emma Straub. I’m not sure if it’s the setting (a cruise ship), the characters (an aging boy band), or the lengthy descriptions of the rabid fans. I’m still in it and waiting for something to happen that I’m excited about. I loved Into the Blue in comparison.

I’m also a Carley Fortune fan and enjoyed this article with her tips for a career change as a novelist. I was taking notes.

What’s In My Cart

We’ve had this Signature Hemmed Duvet Set from Boll & Branch for years, and with every wash, it gets softer. My niece was a preschool teacher for one of the founders’ children a few years back, and I heard about the company through her. I’ve been a loyal fan ever since. I recently purchased a second duvet so I could change them out without waiting for the dryer to finish, but I accidentally ordered a comforter set. It’s so soft that I’m tempted to keep it! I ordered mine in cream. I also have this embroidered sheet set and quilt on a bed and love it! I take them out of the dryer when they’re just a tiny bit damp so they dry without wrinkles.

I’ve saved my brainstorm list of design ideas for our new house here. We’re moving in with all of our current furniture, but I’ll need a few new pieces. Right now, I’m just focused on pulling off multiple moves this summer without losing my marbles! I’d love to share more home photos and design inspo with you if you’re interested. I also have a Pinterest board with hundreds (thousands?) of photos divided by room.

Shop My Shelves

This Week’s Gratitude

I have a really good one this week. A longtime friend of ours, who we’ve known since he was five, graduated from Blinn this week (a junior college in Texas) and is headed to a 4-year college next fall. It filled my heart to see this kid who has persevered (and I mean, against many odds) to succeed, follow through, and pull off this graduation through sheer will, a great personality, and a desire to have a better life. I might have sobbed with happy tears at the sight of it!

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

That said, the recipes are delicious and can be found in this post for paid subscribers. I might do a test and tweak of the Mexican rice recipe we used because it turned out a little too “moist,” and I think it had too much liquid from the tomatoes and chicken stock. The ratio of rice to cooking liquid should be 1:2 and the recipe we used definitely had more liquid than that. We dove into the enchiladas (made easy by using rotisserie chicken) and the “shortcut” Instant Pot Black Beans were phenomenal. I liked them so much that I might change my usual recipe and always make the shortcut version.

All the recipes can be found in this post and in my Recipe Index.

Also, if you’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo today, check out these recipes:

• Ranchero Black Bean Dip (this would be amazing with the leftover black beans from our class last night!)

• Blackened Salmon Taco Bowls

• Chopped Pollo Asada Tacos

• Enchilada Casserole

• Salsa Verde Chicken

• Shredded Chicken Tinga Tacos

• Turkey Taco Skillet

Get more from Smart in the Kitchen in the Substack app

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Get the app

Please save the date and time for our next cooking class. This month’s Smart in the Kitchen School cooking class is scheduled for Monday, May 4, at 5 PM CST. If you’re not a paid subscriber, join us for a year of 12 cooking classes and all the paid benefits of being a Smart in the Kitchen subscriber!

Join me live on Substack for Smart in the Kitchen School! You can watch on the app or on your computer. The class is on Monday, May 4, at 5 pm CST. The link is below!

Class Link

Class Recipes

• Caramelized Onion, Chicken and Green Chili Enchiladas with Verde Sauce

• La Taquería Sauce

• Instant Pot Black Beans

• Mexican Rice

Can’t wait to cook with you all LIVE tomorrow! Recipes attached below for paid subscribers!

Read more

What I’m Cooking

Last night, I cooked for a Jr. League of Houston annual fundraiser, and the appetizer menu was super manageable so I thought I’d share. Here’s everything I made, along with a big batch of Ina Garten’s cosmos and my espresso martinis, along with the cocktail nuts from my cookbook.

+ My Favorite Meatballs with Marcella Hazan Tomato Sauce, served in 3.5” bamboo boats and topped with parmesan and a chiffonade of basil. Make the meat mixture a day ahead, and cook off the meatballs 30 minutes before the party. Keep warm in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve or add them to a pot of tomato sauce on the stove over low heat.

+ White Bean Dip with Rosemary Oil served in endive leaves and topped with diced rosemary and red pepper flakes. Something healthy and fresh! The recipe is on page 180 of my cookbook. Just make the recipe as directed and add about 2 tablespoons of the white bean dip to each endive spear. Top with something green, I typically use microgreens or fresh herbs. Or I pivot and use a dash of Everything Bagel seasoning for crunch and saltiness.

+ Flatbread pizzas with caramelized onions, blue cheese and red grapes. Plus another variation with mini mozzarella balls, basil and tomato sauce.

+ Antipasti Skewers: Salami, green Castelvetrano olives, marinated artichokes and marinated mozzarella on appetizer skewers.

+ Ina’s Cosmopolitans and my big batch Espresso Martinis!

+ Cocktail nuts and chocolates in bowls scattered around the casa! The nuts are on page 184 of Dinner is Done.

Flatbread With Caramelized Onions, Bleu Cheese And Red Grapes

114KB ∙ PDF file

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Download

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

How do you prefer to read? I wish I were a “real book” reader; I always feel like an unsophisticated bumpkin when people stand their ground about the superiority of “real” paper books. But I prefer reading on my Kindle e-reader (I mostly use the app on my phone) because I can read anywhere and it doesn’t keep my husband awake when I’m addicted to a book into the wee hours. If you’re a book reader, use Bookshop.org to order books! You can select an Indie bookstore near you. You can sometimes download e-books from Bookshop.org, so I start there first.

Let’s be friends on Goodreads! I’m not always great about updating current reads, but I just added a bunch of “want to reads” to my list.

I ordered a galley copy of The Midnight Train and can’t wait to dive in, and I’m getting so hooked on Into the Blue that I’ve cried twice reading it. It’s my favorite book I’ve read in a while, with the most beautiful pacing, word structure and sentences that you want to reread. American Fantasy is up next and then Meet me in Italy to kick off my summer reading. Can you believe it’s May?

Also, why is Rooster so endearing? Is it Steve Carell? Or the sweet dynamic between his character and his daughter, both professors at a New England college? Anyway, I am enamored.

I need some new podcasts for my walks, so please send any suggestions my way. I’m more of a “learn something new” podcast listener than a true crime devotee, just so you can, you know, tailor your suggestions.

What’s In My Cart

I’m sure you guys will be relieved to know that I’ve sorted out my summer sundress situation. I’ve been on the hunt and have shared several recent picks here and on Instagram. Last night I wore this Simkai dress in khaki green, which I have gotten endless wear out of, so I think I should order it in white or pale blue (or navy?) for summer, right?! I ordered this and this from Hunter Bell, and I love them both. Plus, comfy Marion Park sandals that will go with everything this summer and not hurt my feet. The shoes are designed by a female podiatrist surgeon and actually look great. I have the slingbacks and can wear them for hours, unlike most of my other heels, which I recently consigned. Marion Parke shared a code for you guys if you want to try anything: SMART15! I was also eyeing these, but haven’t pulled the trigger.

I’ve rounded up a variety of Mother’s Day gifts for you guys, from inexpensive lip gloss to perfume and pajamas! These are all things I have and love, except for a few I want for myself, lol. I need a hard-sided jewelry case for travel, but these engraved fold silhouette charms with your child’s birthstone attached are beyond precious.

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This Week’s Gratitude

Today we close on the sale of our home, where we’ve lived since my oldest was wrapping up 4th grade and now she’s graduating from college. We purchased the house in May and we’re selling it in May, so it feels like a full circle moment. I shed a couple of tears last night as I enjoyed the “last party” we’ll host here. And as much as I have felt cocooned and loved in this home, it’s time for the next phase. Life is an adventure and change is good for the soul, and I truly love nothing more than a new project. And as they say, home is where the heart is.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade! Our next cooking class is coming up on May 4. We’ll be cooking up a Cinco de Mayo fiesta that you can recreate the next day.

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

I shared a recipe for Giardiniara Tuna Sliders on Instagram this week that was popular (in case you haven’t made it yet!), and also made a batch of “healthy tuna salad” to have for lunches at home. The healthy version gets extra protein from using plain Greek yogurt in place of mayo, a little lemon juice and zest, celery, chopped cornichons and red onion.

We also had an amazing “Not Boring Salads” class to kick off the week because it’s officially not soup season! The class recording and recipes are saved here.

Last but not least, if you’ve never made my Super Simple Salad Dressing, what are you even doing with your life?! You can find the recipe in the Salads and Salad Dressings section of my Recipe Index. It is such a basic recipe that I learned during my culinary program about 25 years ago! There are endless variations and it should get made every Sunday and stashed in your fridge.

Is there anything you’d like to see more of here on my Substack? Meal plans and grocery lists? Easy weeknight dinner menus? Spring and summer dinner party menus? Leave a comment (please don’t hit respond, I’d rather have the comments in this post!).

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

I am obsessed with The Testaments right now and wish they would just dump all the episodes so I could watch them in one sitting. I read The Handmaid’s Tale in high school as part of a favorite English literature class and was engrossed with the series when it originally came out (it lost some luster when it got off the rails in later seasons).

On to books! Send me any of your suggestions so I can add them to my ongoing list. I just started Into the Blue by Emma Brodie. I also picked up the Travel Issue of Food & Wine, which is giving me wanderlust. I’m ready to hit the road again, but nothing is planned for the immediate future since we have graduation season and a big move coming up!

What’s In My Cart

I’ve been brainstorming Mother’s Day, grad, and birthday gifts, and what to wear to all the graduation events I have in May. I’m not super motivated to find something new because I’m in “purge mode” for my summer move. I’m trying to shop my closet and make use of what I have, but I’m eyeing this dress and might need some block-heeled sandals to pull it all together. TBD! While I’m still working on a complete list of Mother’s Day gift ideas, I have a couple of early front-runners to share. And you can watch this board on my ShopMy where I’ll share ideas. I’ve also created a home board where I’m saving ideas for new furniture, rugs, etc!

I’ve been eyeing this bag for over a year and I love the creamy “milk” color and the brown. It has a strap so you can wear it as a cross-body, and it would be a wonderful day-to-night travel bag.

I have this Veronica Beard t-shirt in white and navy and wear it all the time (I like that it covers my arms a bit). I might need it in black, also.

Sunglasses would be a great Mother’s Day gift, whether they’re Chloe Aviators or classic Ray-Bans. I also love Diff eyewear and this inexpensive aviator style from Amazon.

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This Week’s Gratitude

We had our school’s Field Day this week, and while it’s not usually my favorite school event (mostly because it’s always hot and humid—or storming!), it was so precious to see my daughter in the senior/pre-k parade with a darling little girl. It all goes so fast. She was just in pre-k a couple of weeks ago, no? There are a lot of volunteers who put in a lot of time and effort to make these days come together (I was not one of them!).

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

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Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

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Other News

Our next class is coming up soon in early May! I have it scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 5 pm CST. Let me know how you feel about a Monday instead of a Sunday night! Watch your email for the link to the May Substack Live cooking class.

• Next month’s theme is Fearless Fish! I can’t wait to teach some of my favorite fish recipes and techniques on May 4!

• June’s class is on Tuesday, June 9, at 5 pm CST

• July’s class will be live from Sun Valley, Idaho! I like to get inspiration from the local farmer’s market and summer’s bounty. Stay tuned, but I’d love to do an easy summer dinner party menu.

• August’s class will be live from my new kitchen in Houston! I can’t wait to give you all a kitchen tour. I will teach my Kitchen Reboot class, which is all about kitchen organization, flow, and efficiency. I’ll also share some behind-the-scenes details of the kitchen design process with Marie Flanigan Interiors. Date TBD but I’ll let you know as soon as I can! We have several family moves in August and it’s going to be a crazy month!

• During class, someone asked for a box grater recommendation. Just go with something basic! Or this one from OXO is on sale and I love their gadgets. This Kitchenaid version looks great, too.

• We talked about adding tangy ingredients to salads to dress them up, like giardiniera or this pickled version of giardiniera—or pepperoncini. I also like adding white beans or garbanzo beans to salads for plant-based protein. Or tuna or rotisserie chicken for protein!

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Please save the date and time for our next cooking class. This month’s Substack Live cooking class is scheduled for Sunday, February 22, at 5 PM CST. If you’re a paid subscriber, you’ll need to upgrade to the Cooking School level! If you’re not a paid subscriber, join us for 12 cooking classes and all the paid benefits of being a Smart in the Kitchen subscriber.

• Med Crunch Salad (green cabbage + almonds + crispy quinoa + dates + celery + lemon apple cider vinaigrette)

• L.A. Chop Chop (greens + radicchio + artichoke + salami + garbanzos + red wine vinaigrette)

• Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing (Napa Cabbage + red peppers + edamame + carrots + cucumbers + cilantro + the best Thai peanut dressing)

Join me live on Substack for Smart in the Kitchen School! You can watch on the app or on your computer. The class is on Sunday, April 19, at 5 PM CST. The link is below!

Class Recipes and Link

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What I’m Cooking

Things I made this week: Sunday Roast (a classic!), deviled eggs, a pared-down cheese board with sheep’s milk cheese, quince paste and Marcona almonds. Also: a quick Chinese eggplant and tofu stir-fry and cabbage bowls topped with the best taco meat and topped with homemade tomatillo hot sauce. Up tonight: baked wild salmon with a quick-brining technique I love for fish and roasted gochujang cabbage (both NYT recipes from Ali Slagle, who wrote I Dream of Dinner). I’ll change up the cabbage a little to make a sambal oelek sauce since I have it on hand. It was a good week of eating, although I don’t have much photography to show for it. I wish I had snapped a photo of the eggplant stir fry because it was delicious, fast, and healthy—a real trifecta.

How do you feel about tofu, guys? I think people are afraid of it only when they haven’t had it cooked well. Or maybe it’s a texture thing? I love tofu and how it soaks up sauce and provides a quick boost of protein. Please give this tofu recipe a try and report back. And the deviled egg recipe is just a bonus for weekend snacking.

Tofu And Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry

120KB ∙ PDF file

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Download

Deviled Eggs 2

84.9KB ∙ PDF file

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Download

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

Rooster! Gah, Steve Carell’s character is so sweet, endearing and funny. I’ve been laughing out loud while watching. The setting of an unnamed East Coast liberal arts college is classic academia.

Just finished Yesteryear this week and I feel like I’m still processing, or recovering. It was intense and disturbing, but also a funny and insightful read. I have so many thoughts about the mental well-being (or illness?) of the main character, the lies her family told her, and the lies she perpetuated. It was a crazy storyline but I would wholeheartedly recommend it. I read it in about 24 hours.

What’s In My Cart

All of my cart research has focused on our summer move. I want to refresh my kids’ rooms into “young adult rooms” so they’re excited to come home and visit their empty-nest parents! I’m in love with this spindle bed from Serena and Lilly and this blue dresser. I have thousands of pins on a Pinterest board at this point. Let me know if you think I should share my research! The image above is inspo for my youngest daughter’s room, but her bed will need to be positioned in front of a window, so I’m having a hard time figuring out what will look best there.

I’ve also been eyeing this green runner for my new kitchen. Our oven will be a La Canche in “British Racing Green,” with brass details, and with all the action our kitchen floor gets, I think a washable runner might be in order. This is another green option I saw. I think the trick with Ruggable is to get the “all-in-one” rugs. I had bought one years ago that was in two parts (pad and washable cover) and I ended up sending it to my son’s college apartment because I kept tripping over the edge of it. Ruggable has shared a 15% off discount for you all if you’re eyeing a new rug. Use code SMART15 to order.

Need a pick-me-up? I just got this “de-stress” (yes, please!) body oil from Natura Bissé and it smells incredible.

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This Week’s Gratitude

This week went by in a flash, and I can not believe my youngest has her senior prom (and our last “school dance”) this weekend. This last bit of her senior year is going to fly by. I want to slow down and be present to enjoy my time with my youngest and I’m so thankful not to have any big work-related events in April or May.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here

What I’m Cooking

I’ve been cooking from my fridge, freezer and pantry this week and managed to not make one trip to the grocery store. On Monday, I shared my meal plan for paid subscribers and included all the recipes. I went off-script tonight and made Egg Roll Bowls (with a couple tweaks) instead of Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers. For the Egg Roll Bowls, I used half a head of green cabbage and sliced it very thin. I also had ground chicken breast to use up, so I browned the meat and added it to the mix. I used a LOT more mushrooms than I originally called for in my recipe, about a pound of cremini mushrooms that I chopped fine. I included an updated version of the recipe below since I made quite a few tweaks and it turned out downright amazing.

Egg Roll Bowls 2

109KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

I also made a tasty tuna and white bean salad for lunches this week and it was a win-win to have it tucked away in the fridge. Highly recommend. I used a can of rinsed and drained white cannellini beans, a can of albacore tuna from Fishwife (with most of the olive oil drained), some diced red onion and chives, diced celery, and the juice of a lemon. Plus kosher salt and pepper — yum!

You can find all the SITK recipes I’ve shared, organized by ingredient, in my Recipe Index.

Recipe Index

What I’m Watching and Reading

I’m watching The Masters highlights whether I want to or not! JK, I actually love The Masters, and I’m craving pimento cheese just thinking about it. I haven’t had time to watch much of anything this week, but next up on my list is season two of The Pitt.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and dystopian fiction, I just finished Beneath, book two in the series by Ariel Sullivan that started with Conform. I devoured the first book in October and was so excited to continue with the second book. I’m curious where this is headed in book three and how these narratives will come together. I’m so in awe of writers who can create complete worlds and leave you missing and worrying about characters once a book is over.

What’s In My Cart

Over Easter weekend, we stayed with my parents in North Carolina and showered my niece, who is expecting her first baby girl. I’m sending her a Hatch Baby nightlight, which I’m hoping will work its magic and help everyone get better sleep and have peaceful nighttime feedings. I might also have gotten a Hatch alarm clock for my soon-to-be 18-year-old. She can’t seem to wake up from her phone alarm and I’m not sure whether it’s a case of senioritis or exhaustion. I’m hoping this will help, and she can take it to college; her older sister has had one since freshman year and loves it. My son also has a birthday this month and has asked for a large navy Yeti cooler, which is very on brand for him.

This three-piece baking dish set from Staub is on sale. I use mine all the time at Kitchenette Farm! The three-piece minis from Staub are also on sale. Use them to bake individual servings of brownies or chocolate chip cookies, topped with ice cream before serving!

I tried new chocolate and vanilla protein powder this week and used it to make simplified smoothies. I added 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, a Bazil nut (for selenium), a date (because I have a sweet tooth), ice, water and the protein powder—plus a few frozen strawberries to the vanilla version. Each smoothie had over 31 grams of protein, which is a great start to the day.

A beauty company sent me this neck firming lotion and I’m curious and excited to give it a try. Can’t deny that I’m slightly skeptical. Use code SMART20 for a discount.

Note: Since I included a long list of links this week, I thought I’d explain how these links work. I use ShopMy to link products I recommend, and I try to be transparent about what I’ve personally tried and recommend, and what I was sent as a gift (and might not have firm feedback about!). I’m happy to share more info if you have questions. My links are at no extra cost to you, but I earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. ALSO! If you have a newsletter or social media account where you’d like to share your links and suggestions, you can apply to join ShopMy as a creator. It’s so easy to use and intuitive.

Shop My Shelves

This Week’s Gratitude

Yesterday I took an entire day off from email and work to just be with a friend. It was such a gift. It can sometimes be difficult to take a real sabbath day on weekends, when everyone is home and clamoring for attention. My days and weekends aren’t quite as “mom-heavy” as they used to be, but it was such a gift to take a pause, rest and reconnect.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Please go from your email inbox to the Substack app to comment, chat and “talk it up” in the comments. Engaging with Substack writers by liking and commenting on their posts and notes, even as a free subscriber, is a valuable way to show your support. Your involvement makes a big difference!

Check out my past Friday Favorite items on ShopMy. Using an affiliate link is an easy way to show your support, at no cost to you. It doesn’t add up to much, but helps “keep the lights on.”

GIFT CARD

Looking for a birthday or “just because” gift for your best friend, mom, sister, or Aunt Sally? I have the perfect idea! You can gift a subscription to my Substack! The annual subscription can begin at any time.

Give a gift subscription

Substack Housekeeping

• Have an issue with your subscription? Contact Substack customer service here. They can answer your subscription questions better than I can.

• Need to update your credit card details? Head to settings and scroll down to “subscriptions.” Click on the subscription you would like to update and scroll down to “payment” to update credit card info.

• Want to upgrade your subscription to include access to my online cooking school? Click here to upgrade!

Order my award-winning cookbook, Dinner is Done! It includes over 100 weeknight and family-friendly recipes, including chapters on meatless mains, fish and sauces, appetizers and snacks, cocktails, desserts and more.

Order Here