A Book I Read: Cooking Edition

A cookbook?! I am certainly not an expert on cooking or cookbooks or food so this is very much a layman's review. I am however an expert on eating so that is what this book review is based on.

We have made upwards of 15 recipes from Smitten Kitchen Everyday by Deb Perelman and, I say this without hesitation, ALL have been delicious.

Anyone else have the opposite of the first pancake effect when they make new recipes? It seems like the first time I make a new recipe it is delicious and I love it and I eat it all. But then I try to make it a second or third time and it's just not as good. It's usually still good enough to eat but something just feels off.

None of the recipes we've tried from this book have had that happen. We keep making them over and over and they are just as good every time. This is what made me want to share about this book, I don't have another cookbook that I can say this about. Well done, Deb. I'm probably the last person that has any merit in saying that but oh well.

Many if not all of the recipes can most likely be found on the Smitten Kitchen website. But they are slightly different and I think maybe the ones in the book have been perfected, and possibly simplified, and are therefore better? I don't really know that, it's just an impression.

If you click the cover, it will take you to Amazon where you can buy the book. The other links on here will take you to Deb's site. 

Here are our very very favorites:

Gifts for 'Mom' that are Better Than a Card

First, you need to know that Mother's Day is not for only biological mothers. It is a day for you to appreciate the person who mothered you. Sometimes that is your dad, your sibling, your aunt, uncle, grandparent, friend, teacher, neighbor, and sometimes that is you. So, these gifts are a way for you to appreciate that person who mothered you, whomever that may be. So, apply said filter to each of the following gifts.

I fully support and value the candle/lotion/bath bomb/face mask/perfume gift. 100%. I just wanted to make a 'gift guide' that had a little more to do with my specialty, writing.

You're probably thinking, "that will take way too much brainpower that I have reserved for CandyCrush(is that still what the kids play?)." I've broken it down for you, so it shouldn't be too overwhelming. And for those of us that just want to click, click, click and be done, I'll include some links to a few books that would make great gifts.

How to Write a Letter

A little guide to writing a letter. Since most of us probably haven't written one since our 8th Grade Penpals.

Who: 

Who should you write a letter to, you might ask? Well. Everyone. Your parents, your cousin(my cousin Cami and I wrote letters back and forth when we were little. It was so fun and cute of us), your neighbors or old neighbors, your friends who you usually text memes to, your favorite teacher or professor, your significant other, etc.

Really you could write a letter to anyone, as displayed by my extensive list above. All it takes is a want to connect with that person.

When:

Right now! No better present to do stuff in than the present you're sitting in. I just made that up. Didn't it feel profound and like you want to put it on a T-shirt, but not in like an obvious way right in the middle of the shirt but maybe off to one side or on a sleeve or something? I thought so.

What:

What to say? What to say? I'll give you a little outline you can follow. And if you don't like outlines you are probably a normal person but you should really learn to love outlines, they are friendly and make life less messy.

Start by saying why you decided to write this person a letter. Examples below.

• I was just remembering when (insert recent experience) and it made me think of you. 
• I (recent experience) and it made me think about how you (something they did or said or are that you admire)
• I wanted to connect with you again and thought it would be fun to write you a letter!
• I read this interesting woman's blog about how to write a letter and so I'm practicing on you. How's it going so far?

Continue your letter by updating them on 1-2 (or more if you know this person's attention span well) recent life events of yours. Here are some samples to get you started:

• I was at the grocery store the other day and there were dark chocolate sea salt kombucha samples so I tried it and then ended up buying the rest of the store's stock. 
• I went to the park the other day and it was so sunny and beautiful. There were kids playing there so carefree and happy. And then they started picking their noses and eating their boogers. Little kids are gross. 
• I've decided to (something you've decided to start doing in your life). I think it's going well so far. I am excited about what could become of this venture I've decided to take on. 
• Something sad or upsetting to you and how you are trying to get through it. 

Next you can ask some engaging questions about the person's life or thoughts or opinions or family or pets. Ask questions that allow for the person to respond with more than yes or no. This is not a 20 questions letter. Although that could be a fun format as well. Some examples below.

• I saw that (insert thing you saw them post about on social media) and that looked so awesome! What was that experience like? Were you nervous/excited/scared?
• Do you still (insert hobby or interest that you know this person has done)? How is it going? Have you learned a lot of new stuff regarding said hobby/interest?
• How is (insert significant thing/person/pet)? I hope they are doing well. 
• What are you looking forward to the next few weeks? 

Why:

It is so fun to get mail that isn't a credit card application or a Papa Murphy's coupon(I mean, these are pretty fun, I guess)! It also is pretty affirming to think that someone would sit down and take the time to write out more than a few sentences just for you. On the sender end of a letter, it is clarifying and rejuvenating to write out your thoughts and questions for someone.

I hope this helps you in your letter-writing endeavors and will inspire you to write at least one in the near future!

Half Dome: Another Time I Thought I Might Die

Maybe I should start this story by spoiling the ending. I didn't climb the rock. I turned around and came down. I tried to be brave and have courage but I guess I just didn't.

Maybe I should make this a series about hikes that my family wants to go on that I'm not thrilled about but went anyway and it ended up being a really good time.

This would be part two of that series. Part one would be the Grand Canyon.

This hike came about because Tyler and I got sucked into one of those you-won-a-free-trip-and-all-we-need-is-your-email-and-your-firstborn things. We decided that would be a good excuse to make a big trip out of it. We went to Tahoe first for a few days and then met up with my family in Yosemite to hike Half Dome.

I'm sure you know Yosemite is breathtaking. It's a mountainous oasis with sky scraping granite surrounding lush green valleys weaved with cold rivers. If you don't know Yosemite but you own an apple product, at one point Half Dome was your background so just filter back through there and I'm sure you'll find it.

Leading up to this trip, and many other hikes I wasn't thrilled about but went anyway, my Dad talked IT UP! Sending us the stats including elevation gain, strenuousness, and number of deaths in recent history. You know, all the things to get everyone pumped.

We hit the trail bright and early and I was scowl-y and slow. The first part has several(don't quote me, it was early) stunning waterfalls and shrubbery, a lot of which I missed because of all the scowling I was busy doing. I defrosted quickly though and rather enjoyed bringing up the rear for the next several miles. Then came the going up part of the hike.

I'm just not an uphill kind of person. I don't think it agrees with my brand. Let's just skip to the part where I wimp out.

If you haven't hiked Half Dome here's a little summary: up, up, waterfalls, granite staircases, flat, flat, flat, up, up, straight up, straight up some rocks, flat area where you eat granola bars and drink the last drops of your water, STRAIGHT UP A SLIPPERY PIECE OF GRANITE HOLDING ON TO A SHANTY CABLE THEY PUT IN HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO AND DON'T REALLY MAINTAIN BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TECHNICALLY SUPPOSED TO BE CLIMBING THIS TINY PIECE OF COUNTERTOP.

That is a factually accurate description of the hike. Look it up. Here, I'll look it up for you.

A Book I Read

I'm happy to say I am now part of two book clubs! I have decided that book clubs are difficult to start and difficult to maintain. But very much worth it if you can keep it up and running. Maybe we should start an AdriLars book club here on the blog? Would anyone be interested in turning these posts into more of a discussion? Let me know.

So for one of the book clubs I'm in we read Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas. I didn't know this book existed until Ash suggested it, which is actually the truth about most things I read. I may have been an English major and English teacher but I'm probably the worst-read English major and English teacher there ever was.

For full disclosure I will say that I didn't read the book with my eyeballs, I actually listened to it on Audible. I turn my subscription on and off all the time (which is probably not how they want you to use it, but oh well) because sometimes I like to listen but other times I really want to read the book so I can write notes in it and mark things. If you want to try it there is a link over on the sidebar right under the popular posts box.

This was one of the books I'm glad I listened to because Firoozeh reads it herself and it was so fun to hear her voice telling all the stories. So many hilarious things happened to her and her family living in America, I actually snort-laughed several times.

Some favorite quotes:

It's not what we eat or don't eat that makes us good people; it's how we treat one another. As you grow older, you'll find that people of every religion think they're the best, but that's not true. There are good and bad people in every religion. Just because someone is Muslim, Jewish, or Christian doesn't mean a thing. You have to look and see what's in their hearts. That's the only thing that matters, and that's the only detail God cares about.

I truly believe that everyone has a story and everyone's story counts.

Is that boy from your country?” she asked me. “Why, yes,” I wanted to tell her. “In my country, which I own, this is National Lose Your Child at Disneyland Day.” “No,” I told her. “He’s not from my country.

Firoozeh has such a sarcastic sense of humor, which speaks to my wannabe-comedian heart. On a more serious note the book addresses the racism and discrimination that she and her family and thousands and thousands of other immigrants have faced living in America.