Read more about the article How I Christmas’d in 2020: Simplifying, Appreciating & Sharing
Christmas / Holidays

How I Christmas’d in 2020: Simplifying, Appreciating & Sharing

Like snowfall on Christmas morning, this past year, I saw a brighter beauty. The soil, the roots, the dormancy of my past life still existed in me, but there was so much sparkle in this new coating, so much brightness. I wanted to pull all the warm moments close to my chin, like snuggling under a protective winter quilt. There was so much warmth to this Christmas, much more than a day. This is how I Christmas'd in 2020...

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January 11, 2021
Read more about the article How We Celebrated Chrismukkah & the Importance of Traditions
Christmas / Gatherings / Holidays

How We Celebrated Chrismukkah & the Importance of Traditions

As a kid, I was always searching for traditions. I orchestrated (read: made my family suffer through) an annual Christmas play with my best friend, complete with violin and piano solos. There were spreads or ring bologna, cheddar cheese, and soda. As an adult, I’m still searching for traditions, but now I err on the side of prosciutto, smoked gouda, and wine. It’s all too easy to let traditions slip away, to avoid the effort, or to overstress (hi!), but these intentional celebrations enrich our lives.

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January 7, 2021
Read more about the article A Memorial for Honey & A Fundraiser for K-9 Lifesavers
Dog / Other Slices of Life

A Memorial for Honey & A Fundraiser for K-9 Lifesavers

it is with an extremely heavy heart that I share of Honey’s passing. Always one for a chase, Honey escaped her yard, and tragically, she was hit by a car and didn’t make it. To say there is a Honey-sized hole in our hearts is an understatement. It's hard to make sense of death, to grasp the surrealness of it, but honoring Honey through his memorial fundraiser, and seeing the overwhelming support thus far, has helped me to feel warmth and connection in spite of such loss.

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January 6, 2021
Read more about the article Dark Chocolate S’mores Cookies & Solstice Wishes
Christmas / Cookies / Dessert / Holidays

Dark Chocolate S’mores Cookies & Solstice Wishes

"I love s'mores," he hinted. "I love cookies," he hinted. So I went to the kitchen to heed the hints. I heated the oven, whisked, poured, whirled, and then swirled homemade fluff into a chocolate dough. I crushed whole-grain graham crackers and sprinkled them over the swirls. I watched as the warm oven solidified the textures into a magical campfire cookie. I tried to savor the moment - the warm kitchen, the chocolatey smell, the way he smiled after the first taste test.

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December 24, 2020
Read more about the article Preserving Family Traditions & A Recipe for Dutch Christmas Bread (Kerstbrood)
Breads, Crackers & Rolls / Breakfast & Brunch / Christmas / Gifts / Holidays

Preserving Family Traditions & A Recipe for Dutch Christmas Bread (Kerstbrood)

I meant to share these photos and this Dutch Christmas Bread recipe last year, but as so often happens, I was busy, and the season passed too quickly. However, as Christmas and Hanukah rolled around this year, I started reminiscing about the book and our brunch. The sentiment behind it felt even more meaningful after the major challenges of this year. It felt like this post was meant to be shared in 2020 all along.

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December 18, 2020