Hello and happy Friday.
LIVE! From the FoodieCrush studios in the hills above Salt Lake City, it’s Fridaaaaaaay Faves!
Can you tell I’m missing my late-night talk shows something fierce? When will the comic relief return? Soon! Because I, you, WE could use it. I mean, my husband is funny and the only guy I want in my bed (besides our dog Prince who is a solid wall between the two of us of the softest slumbering fur), but the absence of my late-night buddies Stephen and Seth have made the end of my day a little less easy.
Right now we’re all missing the normal things we barely noticed two weeks ago. Morning coffee runs after car pool. Complaining about other sports teams that suck because they’re so much better than your team. Snagging samples at Costco. Listening to co-workers get all puffed up about how they could do the job so much better than the boss. Wishing someone would decide where ya’ll should meet and eat. Even the thoughts of sitting in rush hour might stir a little forlorn feeling in your belly.
But there are a whole lot of people who aren’t just missing normalcy and finding our new normal Inconvenient, they’re fighting for their lives and those of everyone else.
Everyone is scared.
I’m reminded daily. Hourly. Sometimes by the minute. We are the lucky ones. This virus hasn’t sickened anyone close to me. I have my family and my dogs and a job I can keep doing. We aren’t in lockdown like other parts of the country, even if we’re living as if we are. We’re doing our part to help mitigate the spread. And we are blown away with appreciation to those we read about who go back into the fire to face the catastrophic conditions they had no idea they were signing up for, all in the name to help others survive.
This week I found an email in my inbox from one of the OG food bloggers whom I haven’t seen or heard from for several years. It was such a nice surprise to read her update and absorb the words she shared for maintaining peace and comfort, and make them a reminder to myself.
Maybe you can follow a few of her ideas to make things easier to handle too.
- Sticking to as many of our daily rituals as possible
- Following a daily schedule–especially for children
- Eating (mostly!) healthy
- Going to bed and rising relatively early.
- Limiting TV and radio (though we admit to checking phones more than we’d like).
- Going on regular daily walks.
- Attempting to find some of the good that’s come from this devastating pandemic.
- Setting aside time for ourselves.
- Showing patience and kindness to one another.
- Checking in with friends and family who are alone and sheltered-in-place.
Thank you for the reminder Pam. And to her and all of you, let’s STAY HOME, stay safe, and stay in touch.
And cook. That’s what I’m doing, with comfort food dinners like the pork roast above every night of the week.
But enough of that. Let’s dig into this week’s list of Friday Faves.
How to find connection when we can’t be together.
Social distancing makes over classic album covers. #6feetcovers
Look to the stars and take me away! Livestream of the Aurora Borealis.
How not to go stir crazy while social distancing.
Totally binge-worthy:
- The 10 best travel shows to binge while on quarantine.
- Celebs read to you and your kids on this YouTube channel.
- 15 Broadway plays and musicals you can watch on stage from home.
- Take a virtual hike through the Grand Canyon and see the red rocks up close.
- The 20 best documentaries to binge and stimulate your brain in isolation.
My man and I started watching this Netflix show, and man! It’s fascinating in the weirdest of people way.
5 easy ways to keep kids connected to their pals.
15 things to do in the kitchen now.
This 20-minute vegetarian curry checks all the quick and easy pantry staple recipe boxes.
This spring chicken skillet dinner has me all puckered up.
Totally basic noodles are what we need right now.
Scooby dooby doo gimme a scotcheroo!
A classic pantry staple bean soup.
The main course wouldn’t be what it is without this simple delicious side dish to go with it.
Stress baking should include:
- The ultimate soft, fluffy and STUFFED pretzels
- This focaccia recipe may flip the lid on the sourdough baking craze.
- You can’t go to Starbucks but you can make and eat iced lemon loaf!
- That’s it. I give in. I‘m making brownies.
This mac salad has me longing for island fever.
The ultimate list of common baking substitutions.
From tomatoes to broccoli: how to freeze fresh vegetables.
Time to get your garden on even if you don’t have a plot of land.
Bored inside? How to spring clean your whole house.
Like magic! I used these cleaner sheets to wipe all the scuff marks off my walls and my husband Is STOKED because now I’m not bugging him to repaint.
Even high fashion is getting in on the comfort game.
The 7 wardrobe basics a 30-year-old and a 60-year-old think everyone should own.
One of my husband’s favorite new artist to listen to now. I likey too.
Got game? The best board games for adults. As a Tetris fan, I’m ordering this one, and this puzzle looks pretty enough to frame.
I saw this fun spring floral arrangement idea in the latest issue of Good Housekeeping and now I want to collect all the cheap white vases, fill them, and line em up.
Lastly, how to make your own face-mask — sadly, not the hanging out at the spa kind.
Okay, that’s it for this week. Stay safe, stay in place, and stay strong. XOXO
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Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
Thank you so so much my friend for including my baking subs list!!!