Friday Faves

Hello hello, and welcome to another week of Friday Faves.

Yay! Holiday! Yay! I put my Christmas tree up the first week of November, and I haven’t been one bit sorry about it. And on the few times I drove through the city at night, before December even arrived, I could see I wasn’t the only one. People had their Christmas trees up and lit and shining bright before the Thanksgiving table was even set.

This holiday, it feels like there’s more spirit in our communities than ever before. So many lights! So many people helping others. So much more giving. Sadly, we aren’t gathering together as family and friends or going out to celebrate on the town. Instead, it feels as if we’re doing more than ever before to find and share the spirit that radiates from our homes and our individual vitality. We crave positivity. Festivity. Happiness. And from what I’m seeing, reading, and hearing, we’re naturally showing up and sharing.

This year I won’t be going out to eat with my family for our traditional Italian holiday dinner, so I’m making my favorite simple pasta at home and thinking of how awesome next year’s time together will be. I won’t be gathering with my college friends to wrap gifts for our sub-4-Santa family. Instead, we’ll be donating online and having a Zoom reunion to bring some cheer.

There’s a lot we’re missing this holiday. But I’m going to do my best to look at what I have, count my lucky stars, and celebrate those facts instead.

Enter to Win! DeLallo Signature Italian Pantry Gift Box Giveaway

To add a little more cheer to the month, my friends at DeLallo want to send you one of their Signature Italian Pantry Gift Boxes. Keep it for yourself, or send it to someone else. Then get into the kitchen and cook something good.

In addition, DeLallo is offering 20% off any of their gift boxes or any other purchase thru December 30, 2020 when you enter FOODIECRUSH20 at checkout.

You guys know I love their products by the sheer number of recipes I make with them, including this gnocchi dish that is ALWAYS in my yearly top 10.

So let’s all share the love!

Enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends Wednesday, 12/09/20 at 11:59 pm EST. Giveaway is open to legal residences of the continental US and DC who are at least 18 years of age. Good luck!

With that, let’s get into this week’s list of Friday Faves.

Check it! For the first time in 800 years, planets will align to create a bona fide Christmas star.

How inspiring! Watch how this pretend artist’s pet portraits turned into $45K+ for the homeless. So heartwarming.

You heard about the monolith discovered last week here in Utah then disappeared then inspired two more replicas in Romania and California? There’s more to the story because these memes are (mostly) monolithically funny.

This tree ornament is so 2020.

The un-gift guide with less stuff, more joy.

Whatch watchin’? The definitive list of the best holiday movies of all time.

The science backed reason to write a gratitude letter today.

This is a great little gift for any cook and makes a much more thoughtful hostess gift than the usual bottle of wine.

The best food for brain health. (so you should be cooking this!)

When you make my mom’s fudge for far away friends, here’s why you shouldn’t cut it before you ship it.

and…

Tips for mailing sugar cookies.

This chicken dinner looks super fancy but is in fact amazingly easy to make. Perfect for holiday.

These pecans would make the perfect neighbor gift or to keep on hand for salad toppers.

If you like your mac n cheese all sorts of amped up, this recipe is for you.

These crispy potatoes make the best tapas.

This peanut brittle. YUM!

I don’t know if a soup could have any more buzz words: turmeric, whole30, tahini, instant pot…it’s all there.

Now THIS pasta with steak is a meal!

French onion meatballs?!?! YESSSS.

Cinnamon roll recipe alert in casserole form. 

Homemade hot chocolate mix is always a good gift—to yourself too.

Awww, these little sugar cookie trees are cute!

and not to be outdone…

Check out these cupcakes!

85% of the time, this is my drive-thru coffee order of choice. Now I can make it at home.

My friend Cindy does this great upcycled clothing on a pay what you can basis. So cool, and so Is she.

and…

My friend Ali is matching donations for this very worthwhile charity that makes a great gift too.

I ordered this game for the family because I’ve never been very good at it but since it’s rainbow, I’ll def want to play it more.

and…

Seriously thinking of getting this as a family gift to keep us cooking together.

This is perfect for the French girl farmers market goer within us all.

For those times when it’s cold but not too cold, I’m all about a vest. Especially when its on sale.

This weird trick will supposedly make your fiddle leaf fig stronger. I’m willing to try.

This rug is like walking on clouds. Or my dog. I can’t decide which would be softer.

So many goodies on this list: 2020 cookbook gift guide. 

Start them young: The best children’s books that celebrate diversity in food and culture.

And the Best Of’s have begun…Top 9 dwellings of 2020. V. cool.

That’s it for this week. Have a great weekend, WEAR A MASK, and BE SAFE!

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