Why do we always wait for special occasions to dress things up a bit? Everyday is basically a special occasion because we have been blessed to live another day on this beautiful planet. We don’t need to take it to the extreme, but we should all try to enjoy the little things that make life [...]
Yesterday I completed my last final exam and turned in my last paper for my undergraduate degree. Talk about a surreal moment! While I still need to complete my student teaching in the fall, my days of attending quads and studying late into the night for final exams are over. One chapter of the Beth [...]
Warning: the following cupcakes are the most evil little creatures. Their deliciousness will ensnare your senses and you will never be able to eat another cupcake again without remembering how good these were. It’s no joke people-these cupcakes are in a league of their own. The other day was my lovely friend Brittany’s 22nd birthday. [...]
What makes something a “comfort food”? Is it the feeling of familiarity? The memories? The richness? The simplicity? To tell you the truth-I don’t exactly know the definition, but I asked my roommates, Emily and Andrea, their thoughts. Andrea told me all about her grandma’s macaroni and cheese with a big smile on her face, [...]
Don’t you love all the fresh produce that comes out of the garden during the summer? Everything from crisp pea pods, tender green beans, plump cherry tomatoes and those skinny little carrots. Have you ever compared the size of the carrots that come out of the garden to those you find in the supermarket? There [...]
Today could not have been more beautiful. There is nothing better than waking up to the sunshine through your window, walking outside, and then realizing that you don’t need to spend the day in your long-underwear! I don’t think I have a favorite season- I always seem to like whatever season I am currently in…. [...]
Who doesn’t love watching Mario Batali whip up fabulous Italian dishes during late-night marathons of Iron Chef America? His flaming red hair always made me question his supposed “Italian” ancestry, but hey- if he’s an Iron Chef, he must be somebody special, right? My good opinion of Batali came into question today when I read [...]
It is rare that someone can wait over an hour for lunch yet still have an incredible dining experience. Then again, that one hour wait becomes much more enjoyable when free samples of homemade granola bars and coconut brownies are included. After four years of living in Grand Rapids, this was my first visit to [...]
The other day, someone inquired why I bother making soup from scratch. Obviously, it’s easier to open up a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle than spend your morning cutting up a whole chicken, chopping vegetables, waiting for the stock to taste just right, ect. I didn’t have a great answer right away, but after thinking [...]
Oh Valentine’s Day… This holiday is loved by some and despised by others. Those not in a “couple” feel excluded and often take the day to wallow in their own pity, while others make it an opportunity to be overly lovey-dovey and indulge in decadence. Valentine’s Day when I was kid was the best. It [...]