Hi Friends,
I feel like we skipped fall and went straight into winter. Why do I feel this way? Because it SNOWED on Halloween. Full on snowed, not the kind that just touches the ground and disappears, no, the kind that stayed. I was shocked, it felt too soon.
Anyone else have crazy weather?
Whenever Nick asked me what I wanted for dinner, my answer this week was soup.
On the blog this week
Pizza with chili crisp - fall in love with this sausage, kale and chili crisp pizza!
Chili crisp is definitely worth the purchase
Everything I read (and listened to) in October - there were so many good books from this past month, including 4 5-star review ones!
Love List - In this weeks Love List we’re sharing take out wine pairings and the cutest gift
Weekly meal plan - The weekly meal plan, with customizable shopping list.
Personal stories
Left: my little outside crew for picking up Ben from the bus stop, before the snow.
Right: Frankie and I after her last mini kickers (soccer) practice of the season.
Halloween fun:
Cozy recipes to make
With the weather getting colder here, I’m all about cozy recipes. Here are 3 winners:
Roasted whole chicken with garlic and thyme - such an easy and underrated recipe!
One pot sausage and rice casserole - delicious and made in one pot!
Meatloaf meatballs with pan sauce - perfect for a comforting meal (with video below)
Weekend reads
Super cute/cheesy fall romance: Better Hate Than Never by Chloe Liese. I listened to this one, such good narrators, several times I was loling at the inflections. “Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.”
The above was part of my ‘Everything I read and listened to in October’ post
If you’re looking for an interesting, engaging read I have a recommendation for you. One of my friends from childhood (Zach Lupetin of the band The Dustbowl Revival) has a super talented wife
who writes a Substack called Rare Disease Girl -"Rare Disease Girl is a journey through the truth of chronic illness and motherhood. Taylor tells her own story but also regularly features practical advice on navigating health systems, patient empowerment, and staying mentally grounded during times of challenge.”
Reader comment
This is the best pumpkin bread ever! No one would ever consider whether or not it’s gluten free, it’s just perfectly delicious and the texture is so lovely. There are only two of us, I made this yesterday, and we only have half a loaf left!
Comment on the best pumpkin loaf (GF)
Giveaway
For the November giveaway leave a comment on this 5 ingredient crispy onion honey mustard chicken recipe telling me what is your favorite way to enjoy chicken? One winner gets a $25 gift certificate to Starbucks or Amazon, winners choice.
The October winner on this butternut squash soup post is Betsy B who commented “I’ve been looking for a butternut squash soup recipe! Looking forward to giving this a try. If I had to pick a favorite fall soup it would be old fashioned potato soup the way my grandmother made it. She always put fluffy dumplings in it, and it was so good!” Email me to claim your prize Betsy!
How’s your week going? Just hit reply and let me know.
~Phi
p.s., Have you tried Misfits Market yet? It’s grocery delivery that costs less and reduces food waste!
Thanks for sharing Rare Disease Girl! Also Lao Gan Ma are my favorite chili crisp! Just a bit more flavorful for me. Definitely recommend if you love a chili crisp topping!