Scattered Sundays

At long last, the new post format I’ve been working on with my site designer is live! I love it sooooo much! It may not look all that different to you, and sadly I forgot to do screenshots of the “before”, but I promise it’s both different and better.

At the top of each recipe post, you now get a snapshot of the recipe. It gives you a quick rundown on the dish, will show ratings if any have been left (go leave some reviews on your favorite recipes, k, thanks), and also shows you the total time it takes the make it.

And the orange arrow below is a super-easy way to sign up for my email newsletter. It’s right there, not a pop-up or obtrusive. Just hanging out, being breezy. <—-name that show.

And as always, you still have the option to jump to the recipe. I put that in there as a convenience because sometimes we’re busy and just want to see if we have ingredients on hand, but I always encourage people to also actually read the post if possible.

My (recipe) blog posts aren’t like they used to be (700 words of gibberish…that I save for these Sunday posts) and I pack them with lots of useful tips on how to prep the dish, like if you can freeze it, ingredient substitutions, etc. It’s not just there for filler. I put it in there to be helpful and make your life easier.

If you’re like me, the three best things about the Super Bowl were the halftime show, the Zach and Donald commercial, and the announced return of Law and Order. Sneaking out at 6 am to watch Law and Order reruns on A&E when I was maybe eight-years-old, is likely the start of my true crime interest.

Like most shows, old episodes haven’t always aged well. In hindsight and with a modern-day lens, there were a lot of problematic things with the show. Especially in the early seasons with some super aggressive policing.

I haven’t had a chance to watch the new season yet, but I’m interested to see how they incorporate police reform into the show. And to see if people are still way too busy to actually speak to the police.

I was always shocked at home many college students would tell the detectives they were late to class and couldn’t answer questions. Um, Lenny could have written you a note. Your professor will understand. Stop stocking the damn shelves at the bodega and answer the questions!

On Wednesday, I’m heading to Chicago for a blogging conference! I’m staying in an Airbnb with Katie and Emmeline and I can’t wait! I haven’t seen Katie’s lovely face in-person since January 2020 when she made a quick trip to Canada and I drove up to stalk see her.

It’s a quick trip to a city I’ve only been to once before (also for a quick work trip back in 2007). We’ll be busy with nerdy blogging stuff at the conference, and they’ll both be incredibly jet-lagged, so I don’t anticipate much sightseeing happening. But I’m still so freaking excited about the trip.

If you’re confused/concerned/under-educated about what’s happening in Ukraine these days, that’s understandable. This is such a big and scary deal, and as we know, lots of misinformation comes from that region. Coughcough.

One of the podcasts I really enjoy (and was recommended by some awesome readers back in 2016), Pantsuit Politics, is run by two women with law degrees who talk about politics. And other things.

They’re a great resource for vetted information and have also recommended David Leonhardt from the New York Times, The Dispatch Media, and (my how times have changed) Buzz Feed News articles written by Christopher Miller as knowledgeable sources.

Regardless of how much attention you’re paying to the situation over there, it’s pretty damn heartbreaking. And scary. My heart goes out to the people of Ukraine. It’s also a good time for me to remember that Putin does not speak for all Russian citizens. I’m certain there are many people in that country who don’t want a part in any of this.

Many people had big feelings last week about the state of jeans these days. Maybe I live in an echo chamber, but the consensus is that current fashion is trash and we hate it. Validated.

Multiple people recommended Old Navy jeans. They’ve never fit me well, but I know lots of people absolutely love them, so I wanted to share that recommendation. I finally ended up going back to my go-to source, which is Land’s End.

Land’s End carries tall sizes which is lovely, but if you’re vertically challenged, they also have short and regular. Though in my family, we say our size is regular. 🙂 I have been wearing Land’s End jeans for over three years now and they hold up really well. And they look like they were made for adults, unlike all the jeans currently in stores.

I was also pretty dang happy to see that most of their current selection was on sale when I did my online shopping. I’m always leery of ordering clothes online, but they have great customer service and a generous return policy. Lands End is a Rakuten participant, so if you do any shopping online there, make sure you’ve signed up for Rakuten. Cashback rules.

When you talk about something, your phone and computer are often listening and your ads become targeted as a result. One of my complaints last week was I wanted clothes that weren’t ugly but also didn’t show “too much”.

My ads the next few days were for SexyModest, which apparently is a store out of Utah. I know when I’m being targeted, but I was also intrigued and did some looking. I ended up buying this sweater and I’m really happy with it. I don’t mind targeted ads if they actually solve a problem.

Because their clothing is “modest”, I found that the lengths were really nice for someone with a long torso. I can wear the shirt I bought without putting a layering tank underneath it.

Also? All their clothes are made in the USA, which is pretty rad. My order shipped super fast because everything was already in the states. This isn’t an ad or anything; I bought my own stuff. Do a google for a coupon code if you choose to order. I think they had one for new customers.

I also hit up Goodwill this week looking for jeans. I struck out, but I did find this incredible sweater that I could not love more if I tried. It’s 100% wool, and as multiple people pointed out when I shared it on Instagram, it has some sweet Katniss vibes.

The downside to sharing that photo in my Instagram stories was that immediately I got targeted ads for “jeans for women with big thighs”. Um, can we not? Unsubscribe. Regardless of how I feel about my thighs (for the record, I’m fine with them!), this is why young tweens/teens should not be on social media.

Last week in my Sunday email newsletter, I mentioned a life-changing product that had entered my life. No, I didn’t join an MLM, I bought a heated throw from Costco. 🙂

Many of you recommended these throws a few weeks ago when I mentioned that I get super cold when I’m working. I had been using an electric heating pad and my microwaveable rice bags, but it just wasn’t enough. Even with gloves, my hands were so cold that they often hurt to work on my computer.

If you’re not a Costco member, Amazon also has them, but they’re $15 more. If you are a Costco member, a friend gave me a little tip that I hadn’t known about. For orders over $75, Costco will ship you non-perishable items for free. Orders under $75 are something reasonable like $6 in shipping.

The throw is lovely to keep on my lap while I work at my computer. My favorite part is that I don’t have to increase the heat to the whole house to keep warm. So the little bit of energy I’m using on this blanket is definitely off-setting cranking up the furnace.

READER SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Alison left this five-star review on our new Jalapeno Cheeseball {Pin this recipe}:

This cheeseball was a real crowdpleaser! And so easy too! I had a vegetarian in the group so swapped the bacon with salted almonds. Can’t wait to make it again with bacon this time.

ON SUSTAINABLE COOKS THIS WEEK

So excited to finally have these fish tacos on the site! They’ve become a family favorite during the testing process. Bennett asked for them for his birthday dinner, and Troy and Jack, famously NOT seafood fans, both love these. Jack even said “if you put these in a restaurant, we’d make millions”.

Air Fryer Fish Tacos – Make the best Air Fryer Fish Tacos with this easy and delicious recipe. A flavorful homemade lime coleslaw and mango pico de gallo pairs perfectly with the crispy and tender fish. {Pin this recipe}

Confessions – everyone’s favorite silly post of the month.

Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts – These Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts are an easy and delicious side dish that is ready in a flash! Perfectly roasted in the air fryer, these baby brussels are the perfect weekday meal prep recipe. {Pin this recipe}

What are you having this week?

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