What’s Poppin’

It’s official.

I have magical cooking skills. I was cutting N’s apple the other day and my sweet 5-year-old son was so impressed with my knife skills that he looked over at his sister and told her in a dreamy, airy voice, “I’m so in love with her right now.”

Okay so maybe that doesn’t make me a master chef, but I’ll take that compliment any day.

Spring break is in full swing (almost over…so sad!) and we’re enjoying some family time. We didn’t go anywhere but Ben isn’t working much (I was hoping not at all, but a very sad tragedy affected his school so he went in for a bit). We might do a trip next year but this year with a new basement and a new roof, we decided to stay put, save money, and do some fun stuff around town. We definitely had some jobs to tackle in the basement still, so those were on the agenda as well.

We had a great Easter and the week is already going WAY too fast! I’m not in a hurry to get back to “reality.”

On to what’s poppin’!

So many friends writing books: I’m thrilled for my colleagues and friends and can’t wait to share some recipes from these cookbooks, but in the meantime, check out The Weekday Lunches and Breakfasts Cookbook, The Pretty Dish, and Nourishing Superfood Bowls. My friend Adrian also wrote a book for first-time dads called We’re Pregnant: The First-Time Dad’s Pregnancy Handbook. Adrian and his lovely wife are currently expecting baby #4, so he knows a thing or two about a thing or two. Plus he’s hilarious, so it’s sure to be a fun read – it would make a great gift for a first-time dad. Last but not least, my friend Dan Whalen wrote a book called Tots, so obviously we all need to get THAT! Dan comes up with the most fun and innovative recipes so this tot-centric book is sure to be a fun and delicious one. I was also sent New Favorites for New Cooks, a cookbook aimed at kids but definitely for anyone who loves to cook and eat. It’s a beautiful book with a lot of informational content in addition to delicious recipes. Can’t wait to cook with my kids from this book!

Pretty….but maybe too much: I love this girly shirt, but would I look like a grown-up baby in it?

Silly, but…: These are the best dishwashing gloves in the world. My hands dry out really quickly and gloves are a must when I wash dishes. These have a soft inside (but they’re not overly warm) and they don’t leave your hands smelling like rubber or latex. I have them on my Amazon Subscribe and Save so I get a new pair every month!

What we’ve cooked and shared since the last edition of What’s Poppin’:

• Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing
• Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Spinach – such a great one pan meal!
• Chocolate Chip Granola with Strawberries, for your sweet tooth
• Easy Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli – another great one pan meal, and it’s healthier than your traditional Alfredo
• Pink Lemonade No Bake Cheesecakes – because spring is coming eventually, even though we woke up to snow yesterday
• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Watching on Netflix: Mad Men. It took me a little while to get into it but at the insistence of everyone who follows me on Instagram, I gave it a little more time. I’m enjoying it now! I think following a major binge on Scandal, the slower pace was hard for me to get into initially. Now I can’t wait to see what happens!

Comment that is making my smile: You guys know how much I love hearing from you! I respond to every comment on my site, especially if you’ve made a recipe or have a question, so keep them coming! It was hard for me to choose just one this time, but I had to choose one from Jen who made my Cornish Game Hen recipe. She said, “I made this recipe for Easter dinner yesterday, and it was amazing! I added a little paprika and garlic powder to the chicken seasoning, but otherwise stuck to the recipe. My husband and our guest LOVED it.” The fact that my recipes are making your holidays more delicious just makes me so stinking happy. I love you guys.

Need: New shoes for working out. Mine don’t have a lot of lateral support (there’s the PT in me coming out!) and my workouts involve lots of jumping and HIIT exercises. Any recommendations? I love these but they’re probably not suited for that type of workout. I think I might go to Dick’s or Gazelle and have an expert help me out.

For the home: I love this lamp…I wonder if I can convince Ben?

More for the home: I don’t think we’re doing a coffee table in our basement, but this one would be perfect.

Craving from around the web:

• Rhubarb Pear French Toast Casserole – I adore rhubarb. And pears. And french toast casseroles.
• Spaghetti with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Brown Butter – Simple perfection. You can go wrong with pine nuts and brown butter.
• Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts – More pasta with pine nuts because it’s just really a good life choice.
• Whipped Rutabaga Mash with Quick Tomato Confit – Really just want to dive head-first into this.
• Spiced Roasted Carrot Hummus – As many of you know, N can’t have tahini, but I bet this hummus would have so much great flavor even if you left the tahini out!

One more Easter pic and then I’m out! Tell me about your Easter!

Awww, alright, one more.

I’m so grateful for these little goofs.