I think we can all agree that things have been a little interesting this month. Fourteen days ago we heard rumblings of Covid-19 entering the United States and eight days ago Joe and I decided to take Otto out of daycare and stay home with him until the threat of this virus has passed. It […]

I always like to have citrus on hand in my home. Not only does it come in bright and cheerful colors like vibrant oranges, yellows and greens but it adds an extra zest (literally) to dressings, desserts and dinners. It can be used for household cleaning as well as sprinkling into a muffin. I had […]

A few weeks ago my girlfriends and I had a much-needed night out together in Grand Rapids. It’s been months since we’ve been able to see each other and we decided to take a cheese class at our local Gordon Food Service Store and have dinner afterward. We met up for the class at their […]

Earlier this January I went on short and sweet girls trip to Fort Lauderdale with my mom, sister and sister in law. It was a fun little getaway that was a much needed escape from the harsh Michigan cold. I needed warm air on my face and some blue sky desperately. The weather was too […]

Last week was gloomy and I was craving something warm and sweet. So I decided to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I mean what can make a day better than a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie? I had my Cooks Illustrated cookbook sitting on the counter from a steak sauce I […]

I  remember the first time I found Half Baked Harvests blog. I was brand new to cooking and I was going to have some friends over for dinner and The Holland Farmers Market posted one of her recipes for a peach and polenta stacks. This was probably 8 or so years ago and I didn’t […]

If a party has appetizers you know I’m there. It’s my favorite section of the menu and it’s my favorite thing to make a meal of. For dinner on Christmas we have all appetizers at my in-laws after the gifts are opened and while I’m normally a hot dish kind of gal I thought I […]

There is nothing more cozy than snuggling up by the fireplace with a hot plate of homemade comfort food. Comfort food to me has always been something hearty and starchy like meatloaf with mashed potatoes. I think it might be Joe’s death row meal. Mine would be… something with cheese, chips and dip… I’m going […]

There is nothing I love more on cold wintery weekend that snuggling in with my family for the day. Sunday we attempted church with Otto again. We did great during the singing but he couldn’t help but yell “WE DID IT!” and “AMEN” during the advent presentations. We moved to the “cry room” and after […]

Wondering where some of my favorite foodie places in West Michigan are? Scroll down to see the full list! Outfit Details: my dream is that kjp would make this sweater in otto’s size so we could truly be matching. I picked up this KJP sweater on their black friday sale and I wish I would […]

For my birthday this year Joe surprised me with a trip to the east side of the state for a weekend away full of fun activities. He planned out every stop, meal, cocktail and shopping destination for the entire time. As a major planner it felt really nice to sit back and let someone else […]

Thanksgiving is the foodie event of the year for those of us who love to cook (and eat). It’s also the best time to watch the foodie channels, read all the magazines and get inspiration for what you are bringing to the holiday table. Last year Joe and I prepared the turkey and sides  for […]