The Cookbook Diaries by The Yellow Table

The rest of the journey...

Day 3: Detox Salad (and taking time to rest).

This morning marks the end of the Week 1 of The Cookbook Diaries. Hard to believe, that after so many years of dreaming, that this is actually happening! Starting next week, there will be weekly newsletters for those of you who've signed up (and if you haven't, just enter your email in the sign-up box on the homepage - the recaps will be worth reading, I promise!). My head is swirling with so many ideas right now – podcasts, videos, new recipes, dinner parties – but I feel like I'm always two...

Day 4: Dreams Do Come True.

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a fabulous, restful weekend. (I did...and it was much-needed!) I've been really excited to share with you all some pictures that my good friend Nate Poekert took of me last week. I am so blessed with friends, like Nate, that really believe in this project, and when he offered to take a few shots to help promote The Cookbook Diaries, I said "Absolutely!" This shoot, like the last one I did with Nate, was totally spontaneous. We texted each other that morning, and...

Day 5: Roasted Tomato Soup + Grilled Cheese

As I've been brainstorming about this cookbook over the past few months – and especially now that I'm in the thick of it – three words keep popping up when I think about the "theme" of the book. The first, most obvious word is table. My heart is to build community around the table. To give people a reason to connect, over a simple meal, with their families or friends after a long day at work. But the other two words that keep resurfacing are ones I saw on a card this summer: "everyday...

Day 6: Pie Therapy.

I remember the first time I ever made a lattice-topped pie. It was during – of all things – a job interview. I wish I could say I grew up making pies with my grandmother (isn't that what every cookbook author says?!) as we laughed at each other with flour-covered faces. Well, that's not quite how it happened. My grandmother barely allowed me in the kitchen - it was her domain, and she ruled alone. So even though she turned out beautiful pies, I never had the chance to learn her secrets. My...

Day 7: Free to Fail.

Have you ever had a day that starts unravelling the moment you wake up? Where you have one set of plans, and then a slew of curveballs (thank you, life!) throws those plans completely off? Welcome to my day. The post I had slated for today got bumped until tomorrow, and I woke up scrambling for inspiration on what to write. My original intention for the day was to blog from 7:30 - 9:30 a.m., head to the grocery store, and spend the rest of the day recipe-testing. And hopefully – if all went...

Day 8: A Fashionable Fete with Erin Fetherston

Happy Friday everyone! I am taking a little break today from the normal content of The Cookbook Diaries to share with you a fun story I recently wrote for Anthology magazine (with stunning photos by the fabulous Amy Dickerson). For those of you who are new to the blog, Anthology holds a very dear place in my heart. This San Francisco-based quarterly was started a couple of years ago by two friends (writer/editor Anh-Minh Le and art director Meg Ilasco) who share a passion for beautiful...

Day 9: Join my Thanksgiving Class at West Elm!

Happy Monday everyone! Now that Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away! For years, this holiday was a time to get together with my extended family in Tennessee and eat huge platefuls of turkey and butter-and-cheese-laden casseroles, followed by a table of pies, cakes, and other desserts. (And eventually, a nap!) I always love being with my family, but once I got older, battling crowded airports became less fun, and I didn't love the way I felt after I ate such a...

Day 10: Reclaim the Morning.

I used to hate mornings. When I worked for a travel magazine several years ago – and later for the French Tourist Office – I'd sleep until the last possible minute, throw on clothes, brush my teeth, and rush to work, picking up coffee and breakfast on the way. You can imagine that my state of mind when I arrived at work (after battling crowds on the subway or bus) wasn't exactly one of peace and calm. I felt frazzled and overwhelmed. Part of the problem is that by nature, I'm a night owl. Left...

Day 11: Recipe-Testing 101

At this point in my culinary career, I've done a lot of recipe-testing. Which is kind of hilarious because a) I actually hate cooking with recipes and b) I'm not the most precise person by nature. When it comes to cooking, I'm more artist than scientist. And yet I've tested recipes for multiple cookbooks, as well as magazines like Martha Stewart Everyday Food, Real Simple, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Gourmet Live. The chance to work with these magazines has been amazing. (Talk about great...

Day 12: Shaved Brussels Sprout & Endive Salad

Good morning friends! First of all, I want to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who emailed me offering to recipe test!! I cannot tell you how touched and overwhelmed I was to receive so many offers – not to mention sweet, encouraging emails. You all made my day. Thank you! Please forgive me if I don't respond immediately - yesterday I was recipe-testing and prepping for today's photo shoot (which is happening in less than an hour!) and I'll be busy cooking and styling for the rest of the day...

Day 13: Creativity & Elbow Grease

Yesterday we had our second official cookbook shoot, and it was fantastic. It felt more like the first in a lot of ways, as we had real props (courtesy of ABC Home!), a brand new set-up (we're now shooting lower to the floor instead of on the yellow table), and some new camera equipment. Our awesome intern Elise took some fun behind-the-scenes pictures, which I'll be sharing with you on Monday! But for today, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts I've been having the past few days as I...

Day 14: Monday Confessions

Friends, I'm feeling pretty transparent today, so I'm just going to go with it. Mondays terrify me. Not because I have a super-high-powered job where I have to be in at 7 a.m. to make a presentation to a boardroom of people. Wearing 4-inch heels and a pencil skirt. (Thank goodness.) But because Mondays – being the first day of the week – taunt me with questions like: "So you think you can do this?" "Do you really think you have what it takes?" Mondays tell me things like, "You better not screw...

Day 15: Cranberry Orange Streusel Tea Cake

Good morning friends! Guess what? It's snowing here in NYC! Woo hoo!! (Amanda, I wish I could beam you up here right now!). It's kind of perfect timing considering yesterday I finally broke down and startred listening to Christmas music! I love, love, love this time of year. But before I delve into the topic of this blog post, I wanted to share a few quick things. -Despite my fears, I made it through Monday. All of my meetings went well, I managed to get all the props I needed, and I stayed up...

Day 16: With a Little Help from My Friends

Happy Wednesday! Today's another busy day: prepping for tonight's class, plus two book meetings. I was exhausted last night when I went to bed (photo shoot yesterday and small group dinner here last night) and feeling rather overwhelmed about all I have to do today. But - amazingly - I feel really peaceful about things right now. I still have lots to do, but I'm not aiming at perfect - I'm just going to do my best. And try to be present to enjoy each moment. Breathe in, breathe out. You know...

Day 17: Easy & Delicious Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres

Last night I had a chance to teach a really fun class at West Elm, all about how to host a stress-free Thanksgiving. (Ironically, the days leading up to the class were quite stressful, as I imagined the class being a disaster! Ha.) But it honestly could not have gone any better. I had a total dream team helping to make the night a success: my good friend Allison Troup-Jensen, Chelsea West Elm's Special Events Coordinator, my amazing intern Elise who assisted during class, my superstar husband...

Day 18: How to Host a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

Friends, the week is nearly over. And what a week. I think I could literally sleep half the weekend!! I ended up moving today's photo shoot to Monday, because I simply could not face a day of grocery shopping, prepping, and hauling props and that big wooden flooring board up to the apartment...and then returning it all! I'm trying to learn when enough is enough. And giving myself the grace to deviate from my plans from time to time. I have to say (in spite of the fact that I was so worried...

Day 19: Live Your Story.

Happy Monday everyone! I'm feeling a little nostalgic this morning - my little sister is getting married this weekend!! I'm leaving tomorrow to head down to Virginia to spend the rest of the week helping her get ready for her big day. Maria is seven years younger than me, and I can still remember holding her as a baby. Crazy how time flies by! It's so special, though, to watch her grow up into a beautiful, smart, kind-hearted woman, and to meet the man of her dreams. She was the maid-of-honor...

Day 20: Healthy Recipes for a Fall Dinner Party

You know that feeling where you are so tired you can't keep your eyes open? Where the thought of unloading the dishwasher or even picking up the living room makes you want to cry? Well that was me last night. After a long day of shooting, I was faced with a trashed apartment: piles of dishes to wash, furniture to rearrange, props to wash and bubble wrap and return. Not to mention piles of laundry to sort through before I can even begin to pack for my trip today. I had every intention of just...

Day 21: Podcast #1 - Interview with Anne Willan

Today I am thrilled to share my first-ever podcast! I knew when I began The Cookbook Diaries that I wanted to interview some of my favorite cookbook authors to hear their stories: how they started writing books, what they'd do differently (if anything), and to hear their advice for my own cookbook journey. I've done written Q&A's before on the blog, but I think recording a conversation sounds so much more personal. Of course there were technical challenges: getting the right sound equipment and...

Day 22: Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis

Hello from wedding central! Just two more days until my sister's going to be a married woman!! Hard to believe. Maria, my mom, and I have been running around getting all of the last minute stuff done: making flower-girl baskets, cutting programs, framing pictures for the reception, packing for the honeymoon (she's WAY more ahead of the game than I was!), running errands and finalizing wedding day schedules. Tonight, I'm hosting her bachelorette party!! We're keeping it classy and having a...

Day 23: Weekend Reading + This Week's Photo Winner

Happy Friday everyone!! One more day 'til the wedding! We threw Maria a fun bachelorette party last night in D.C. at her friend's (very cute) apartment. Her girl friends are fantastic - several of them helped me make the food, and we all sat around talking, drinking bubbly, and telling stories until late. (Favorite moment of the night: when Maria was given a large pink bunny costume!?!) We've got a lot to do today, so I'm going to keep this post brief! Moving ahead with The Cookbook Diaries...

Day 24: The Courage to Continue

Good morning friends! I feel like I've been going about ten million miles an hour for the past few weeks. (Probably because I have.) I just got home last night after nearly week in Virginia helping my little sister get ready for her wedding. In five days we finished all the wedding details, moved her into her new house, threw her a Bachelorette party, packed her for the honeymoon, and had a rehearsal dinner, bridal breakfast, and of course, the wedding. (Phew!0 All of my extended family came in...

Day 25: Gingerbread Bundt Cake + Lemon Curd

Right now, I can't imagine being more content. I'm sitting at my computer in my PJ's with one of my cats snuggled up in my lap (and the other one curled up next to Brandon on the couch) writing this blog post and listening to Christmas music. It's cold and gray outside and our apartment is snug and warm. The fridge is full of food for our Thanksgiving feast in a couple of days, and I have a hot cup of coffee next to me. And - amazingly - what I'm doing right now is my JOB. I get to write and...

Day 26: Thanksgiving Day Wine Picks (Budget to Baller)

Wine's a funny thing. People both love it, and are terrified by it. Wine lists and wine stores can both be pretty intimidating, and I get it: there are so many dang choices! Unless you dedicate yourself to really studying grapes and vintages (not to mention countries and regions) it can all feel pretty overwhelming. I love wine, and I find learning about it endlessly fascinating. And honestly, the best way to learn about wine - besides making friends in the wine industry (always a great idea...

Day 27: Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! First off, I should say that I did NOT make the beautiful apple pie above. That was actually made by our friend Thaddeus several years ago. He brought it to our first-ever NYC "Friendsgiving" around the yellow table. And, I should point out that he actually decorated it with twine and leaves. How gorgeous is that? I am so excited about today. I love everything Thanksgiving stands for: taking time to be thankful, spending time with friends and family around the...

Day 28: Turkey Chili (+ some weekend reading)

Good morning! I'm on my second cup of coffee (not because I need it, but because my friends brought me a bag of Stumptown yesterday and it's really, really good) and slowly easing into the day. I had delicious leftovers for breakfast: Signe's homemade wholegrain bread toasted with some cranberry orange sauce (it makes a delicious jam), and the afore-mentioned coffee. It's nice having a lazy morning after hosting a big Thanksgiving Day feast. Really quick - before I talk about our Thanksgiving...

Day 29: A Season of Hope

I apologize for my delay in posting today, but my blogging schedule was derailed by some unexpected and exciting news. I can't share quite yet, but suffice it to say, we will not be in the country for New Year's... (!!) Now that my mind is going a million miles a second, it's sort of hard to transition back into blogging mode. (Travel's like a drug for me...once I start planning, I can't stop!) But I wanted to share with you where I am in the cookbook-writing process, and to tell you about an...

Day 30: A 20-Minute Steak Dinner? C'est Possible!

Funny how every time I have a bout of discouragement, God gives me little reminders that I'm on the right path. Yesterday after I put up the post, I received several encouraging emails from women who told me they look forward to reading the blog every day. That it's a source of inspiration for them - both in matters culinary and life. And that they're spreading the word to friends, colleagues, gyms, etc. Hearing that is so humbling and encouraging - thank you! Later last night I was talking on...

Day 31: Join My New Year's Eve Class at West Elm!

I cannot believe there are just 27 more days left in 2013. How did it suddenly become December? Where has the time gone? I remember this time last year, talking to friends about what we wanted to do on New Year's Eve. All I wanted to do was to ring in the New Year surrounded by good friends, sitting around the yellow table. And that's exactly what we did. Along with my talented chef friends Lindsay and Sarah, we hosted a dinner party for 15 in my apartment (quite the feat considering my table...

Day 32: Throwback Thursday (Vintage Yellow Table)

You guys know by this point that I love a good story. Whether it's rehashing funny catering stories, tales of travel, childhood memories, or even my engagement story (my favorite of all!), I think the table is meant to be a place to share our stories. One of the things that makes the yellow table so special to me is the fact that it has its own story. My mom bought the yellow table back in 1975 - before she was married - when she was 25 years old. She saw it, fell in love, and borrowed money...

Day 33: Look How Far We've Come!

"When you have to walk a thousand miles and you take the first step, it looks like a long ways. And it really helps if there's someone there saying 'Well, we're one step closer, the goal definitely exists, it's not just a mirage out there'." -Steve Jobs Brandon shared this quote with me last night, and it really hit home. With any big project, it feels kind of like you're embarking on a thousand-mile-hike. Which is why many dreams never actually get started. Who wants to walk a thousand...

Day 34: Embracing Real Life: Messes & All

"Never trust a woman with a clean kitchen." -AWC Happy Morning everybody! Hope you all had a great weekend! I spent half of it sick on the couch - I honestly think it was my body telling me to slow down. I wrapped up our photo shoot Friday and it felt like a ton of bricks hit me: I suddenly felt achy, nauseous, and burning hot, then freezing cold. I didn't leave the couch Friday night, slept 10 hours in my bed, then Saturday morning back on the couch. By Sunday I was feeling much better...

Day 35: Raspberry Oatmeal Bars + Ordinary Moments

"Joy comes to us in moments – ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary." - Brene Brown Ahhh...I love this time of year. It's been snowing all morning here, and we decorated our tree last night. Despite living in one of the most sophisticated cities in the world, there's still nothing quite as magical seeing our dinky little Christmas tree all lit up. Last night we turned off all of the lights, turned on the Christmas music (OK maybe it...

Day 36: Food-Styling 101

Back in 2002, as a college senior, I met with Lori Powell, who at the time was a food editor at Gourmet magazine (R.I.P.). I had randomly picked her name off the masthead, and she was kind enough to let me come in and ask her questions about her job. She couldn't have been any nicer: she took me on a tour of their test kitchens and explained that she didn't do much writing - she was actually a food stylist. It was the first time I'd ever even heard of that job. She explained that she was the...

Day 37: Remembering to Be Still

Oh to be back in this picture right now! This was taken a year ago, up near Traverse City, Michigan. We were visiting our good friends Megan and Mike Gilger, and the snowy trees in their backyard were simply breathtaking. We got 20 inches of snow that night, and ended up getting stuck trying to drive down the street the next morning. So, we we all got out, tried to push the car, and the guys ended up having to dig the car out and push/drive it back into the driveway. The advenures of a snowy...

Day 38: 'Tis the Season for Homemade Gifts!

Happy Friday everyone!!! Yesterday, Signe and I had a crazy-awesome shoot. We got through 8 recipes (including the truffles pictured here) and two party scenes, and the pictures she took were just gorgeous. It's so fun hustling and creating and seeing the images flash up on the computer monitor as we go. It really feels like our work is beginning to pay off, little by little! I've made multiple batches of truffles this week - some for a friend's office party, some for the photo shoot, and some...

Day 39: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...or is it?

"Our addiction to immediacy tempts us to willingly settle for accessible substitutes rather than waiting for what we really long for." -AJ Sherrill I have a love/hate relationship with Instagram. On the one hand, it's my favorite mode of social media because it lacks the clutter and verbosity of Facebook and Twitter: it's just image after perfect image. Anytime I have a free moment (or, more likely, when I'm in the middle of work and want a distraction), I scroll through Instagram. It's the...

Day 40: Bubbly & Bites Cocktail Party

Happy Tuesday! Given that it's a) snowing right now b) one week 'til Christmas and c) two weeks 'til New Year's Eve - I'm feeling pretty festive! I'm also teaching my Bubbly & Bites class tonight at West Elm, so I've got holiday parties on the brain. Whether you are throwing a pre-Christmas cocktail party this weekend, or planning a full-on New Year's Eve bash, I wanted to share a few of my favorite festive party bites. Best of all, everything can be made the day before and assembled right...

Day 41: Bargain Bubblies + Parmesan-Rosemary Shortbreads

“There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of Champagne.” ― Bette Davis I'll be the first to admit it: I have a total weakness for bubbly. I love it. It's festive, it's fun, and it just tastes so good. And having a glass of Champagne - no matter what you're doing - makes that moment so much more memorable. I love the picture above, because I am totally in my happy place: in Paris, drinking bubbly (at lunch!) with my dear friend Chrissy. I'm sure the...

Day 42: Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Foodie

I have a confession to make. I haven't even started Christmas shopping. To be honest, I hate shopping, and so therefore I put it off until the very. last. minute. Maybe I'm the only procrastinator out there, but I'm guessing (hoping!) I'm not, so I've put together a little "Last-Minute Gift Guide" for all of your favorite foodies. Hey, if nothing else, now I know what I want for Christmas! (FYI: The grid starts with #1 on the upper left and goes clockwise. Also, I am not getting paid to...

Day 43: A Visit to The Cook's Atelier (featured in F&W!)

Happy Friday everyone!! I know everyone's crazy busy getting ready for the holidays, but I have a favor to ask of you. Go out and buy the January 2014 issue of Food & Wine. It's on the newsstands now, and there's a very special story inside about two of my favorite people: Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, the talented mother-daughter duo behind The Cook's Atelier, in Beaune, France. So why is this story so exciting? For one, I wrote it! Writing for Food & Wine has been a...

Day 44: Christmas Card Attempts

After four Christmases married to Brandon, this is the first year we've actually had Christmas cards made. You know those perfect cards you get where everyone looks airbrushed, wearing their best clothes and their best smiles, with pets and kids that actually sit still? The ones you're already received because they were mailed on December 5? Well, this is not that card. Ours turned out dark and grainy, with goofy expressions on both our faces, and two in-motion cats. Oh, and lest you start...

Day 45: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Happy Christmas Eve! Brandon and I flew into Nashville last night, and are spending the next few days with my parents and my brother. As much as I love NYC, it's so nice to be with family for the holidays. Last night we sat by a roaring fire (perhaps my favorite part about being home!), decorated the Christmas tree, and looked at my sister's wedding pictures. This morning we had a leisurely breakfast, listened to Christmas music, and watched the snow flurries outside. It's been fantastic. But...

Day 46: Merry Christmas from The Yellow Table!

“I do not understand the mystery of grace -- only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.” ― Anne Lamott This is my favorite day of the year – both for the miracle of God coming to earth as a baby, of him humbling Himself so that we can have a relationship with Him, but also because it's a day dedicated to family, giving, and pure, unabashed joy. I'm so grateful for the gifts this year has brought (many through hardship), and the privilege of getting to share my...

Day 47: Where to Eat in Nashville

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!! Between the holidays and traveling, I barely know what day it is. Yesterday, we literally didn't step foot outside my parents' house: we sat by the fire in the morning, drinking coffee and opening gifts, then had a big brunch with my cousins and their kids. The afternoon brought more gifts and time by the fire, a visit from my aunt and uncle, and a big Christmas feast last night. It was a wonderful day, but it's official: I'm ready to get out of the...

Day 48: Baked Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Given that we still have a few more days until our New Year's resolutions kick in, I figured now was the time to share my recipe for the ultimate comfort food: an ooey-gooey baked spinach artichoke dip. (Yes, please!!) I made this a few months ago at my sister's Bachelorette Party and not only was the bowl nearly licked clean, I had girls coming up to me two days later at the wedding begging for the recipe. The funny thing was - there wasn't a recipe! I'd just sort of thrown things together and...

Day 49: The Year of the Dinner Party

At the end of every year, I get really introspective. I like to spend some time thinking back over the past year - both the highlights and the hard moments. I usually go back and read my journal from a year ago, and then reflect on what I've learned. It's a really nostalgic time, and sometimes a bit sad. But I think it's important to take some time to reflect before plunging into the New Year. 2013 was a big year in so many ways. Brandon and I both made big leaps of faith career-wise – he...

Day 50: Intermission (i.e. Escape to Iceland)

Happy New Year’s everybody!! As you probably gathered from the title of this post (and perhaps from my Instagram feed), I’m ringing in the New Year in Iceland. !!! I’m still pinching myself. This trip was definitely spontaneous – i.e. we just booked our flights a few weeks ago. Basically on Thanksgiving morning, while I was putting the turkey in the oven to roast, B nonchalantly said: “Wanna go to Iceland for New Year’s?” I just about dropped the turkey. I looked over at him to see if he was...

Day 51: Northern Lights (and a New Year!)

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above declares His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge." – Psalm 19:1-2 Happy New Year everyone!! It's been so nice to disconnect for a few days and really soak in the beauty of my surroundings...but truthfully, I've missed you all! I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year's Eve and that your 2014 is off to a great start. Today's our last day in Iceland, and though I'm going to be sad to leave such an...

Day 52: Whole-Roasted Branzino with Brussels Sprouts & Fingerlings

We're at the airport, heading home from Iceland. It really does feel like we've gone for weeks. Probably because, if you count the Christmas holidays (which we spent in Nashville) we have been traveling now for 15 days, minus a quick 36-hour repacking stop in NYC between trips. I love the adventure of traveling, but to be honest, I'm ready to get home!! [recipe:best-roasted-branzino-brussels-sprouts-recipe]All of the travel also means lots of not-so-healthy meals, from the pre-made sandwiches...

Day 53: What Are Your Dreams For 2014?

I'm not really a big New Year's resolutions person, because every time I make some big list of things I should do or not do, I instantly want to rebel against every single one. Or if I do actually get going on one of the goals, I often run out of steam by February. So instead, I set intentions. I take some time and think about how I'd like the year to look: with work, family, health, friends, calling, etc. I think about the person I want to become, and the things I want more of (laughter!), and...

Day 54: Healthy & Delicious Winter Soups

As much as I adore travel, there's really no place like home. It's nice to be sitting back at my computer, catching up on emails, with one of my cats curled up in my lap. Crazily enough, we came home to NYC temperatures that are way colder than anything we experienced in Iceland...go figure! When the weather is this freezing, all I want to eat is soup. I could literally exist off soup and bread all winter long. There are so many great benefits to making a pot of soup: a) it feeds a crowd on...

Day 55: The Most Powerful 3-Letter Word.

Last night, over dinner, Brandon shared with me a chain of responses he had found on Quora to the question: "What was the best advice you've ever been given?" There were some pretty standard words of wisdom like: "Attitude counts more than talent," "Don't complain," and "If you want others to take you seriously, you have to take yourself seriously." But there was one phrase that hit me right between the eyes: "If you don't ask, the answer is always no." I am convinced that the word "ask" is...

Day 56: Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty.

{Today's post is dedicated to my incredibly courageous husband, Brandon Carl. I love you with all that I am!} I don't know about you, but I really don't like uncertainty. I'm a planner, and I like to be able to look ahead at my week and my month, and have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen. If anything, my tendency is to overbook my schedule, so there is even less possibility for the unexpected. The more I plan, the more control I have, right?? (Hint: wrong.) It's funny how life has...

Day 57: The 80/20 Rule (or The Way I Eat)

A good friend of mine owns a fitness studio in St. Louis, and she recently asked me if I had ever written a blog post about how to fit healthy foods into daily life, with simple, "realistic" recipes. (Good question!) She said a lot of her clients are really into clean eating, but they feel like they need to adhere to a super-strict "bikini body-builder" diet in order to do that. I had a good laugh thinking about what a bikini body-builder would eat (protein shakes? grilled chicken breasts? raw...

Day 58: Midweek Dinner Parties

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to how I want to live this year. And the word that keeps popping into my head is community. I am craving deep community and authentic, life-giving friendships. It's not that I need new friends - I'd just love to see the ones I have more often! Life in NYC moves so ridiculously fast that if I'm not intentional, weeks and months can go by and I don't see many of the people I hold most dear. So in the spirit the yellow table, I've decided to reinstate a...

Day 59: A Wintry Weekend in the Catskills

(NOTE: There is a listening requirement for this blog post. If you don't already have a copy of The Lone Bellow's fabulous self-titled album, download it now. Then press play before you read any further.) This post has been a long time coming. Nearly two years ago, I spent a snowy weekend in the Catskills with a bunch of friends from Brooklyn. Thanks to a friend's connection, we stayed at a dreamy old house in the middle of the woods. It was the sort of sprawling, rustic mountain house you...

Day 60: White Bean Chicken Chili (& a chance to win!)

Happy Monday! When the weather is this freezing – it's not breaking 30 degrees in NYC for the next four days – all I want to do is make a big pot of chili, invite some friends over, and watch a movie. (If I were a football fan, I'd say watch a game, but I'm not – so chili and movie, it is!) Given that I'm already in the chili-making mode, I was thrilled when Muir Glen Organic asked me to develop a recipe for their Chili Roundup Sweepstakes. Here's the deal: every week for the next month...

Day 61: A Cookbook Update (+ learning to be kind to myself)

It's been awhile since I've really filled you guys in on the knitty-gritty of what's going on with the cookbook, so I figured it was time for an update! The pictures above aren't Signe-quality, they're just some Instagrams I took over the last week with my phone, but they definitely depict an accurate (often messy!) view of life in the midst of the cookbook-creating process. So many things are happening right now, and I confess, I'm not always the best time-manager. Over the next 7 weeks, my...

Day 62: New Obsession: Flotsam + Fork

As you all know, I'm a huge fan of France. And food. And I especially love meeting people who are pursuing dreams that include both. (See: The Cook's Atelier.) So when fellow francophile Adrianna Fie emailed me recently asking if she could send me a few items to try out from her newly opened online cookware store Flotsam + Fork, I was intrigued. (And of course I said yes!) After completing her masters in Food Studies at NYU, Adrianna moved to Madison, Wisconsin (where she currently lives) to...

Day 63: My Favorite Citrus Salad

I love the fact that in the dreariest, darkest, coldest time of the year (a.k.a. NOW), it's peak season for the most gorgeous, jewel-like citrus fruits. Lately I've been obsessed with citrus salads. They're colorful, they're delicious, and with little effort, you can create an edible work of art. This salad, inspired by my wonderful brother-in-law Peter (who happens to be a fantastic cook), combines some of my favorite flavors: blood oranges (along with Cara Cara and Navel), pistachios, mint...

Day 64: Ten Reasons Why You Should Go to Iceland Now.

As you all know, we just got back from a week-long trip to Iceland over New Year's. The trip was phenomenal and I wanted to share a few pictures and travel tips with you all, in the event that any of you are planning a trip there. Though I'd love to experience road-tripping through Iceland in the summer, when there's nearly continuous daylight, I personally loved being there in the winter. It was so beautiful to see the snowy landscape, hike on glaciers, soak in geothermal hot springs, witness...

Day 65: Just Say No.

Happy Monday everybody! I've been mulling over what I wanted to write about today, and because I can't be anything but honest, I'm just going to dive right into the hard lesson I'm learning right now. It involves saying a simple, two-letter word. NO. Though it's one of the first words we learn as a child, ironically "no" is one of the hardest words for us to use as adults. Tell someone no, and you'll usually get a reaction that ranges from disappointment to flat-out hostility. It's no wonder...

Day 66: Quick & Healthy Lunch: Sprouted Grain Wraps

It's been fun getting back to shooting in the New Year. Food styling just gets more and more fun (the props from ABC Home don't hurt) and I just love Signe's photography. I mean, seriously - she makes the simplest ingredients look delicious!! It's also been fun developing healthy, simple recipes for the cookbook: stuff that hardly necessitates a recipe because it's just so intuitive (to me, at least). One of my favorite go-to lunches – when I'm not eating eating this kale salad! – is a...

Day 67: Creating Space.

"If we create space in which God can act and speak, something surprising will happen." – Henri Nouwen Despite the fact that this blog is a public space, where anyone can read or comment, often I feel like it's just a place for me to work through life lessons I so desperately need – and want – to learn. When I write posts like "Just Say No" or "Free to Fail" or "Why Perfect is Boring" it's not because I've got these things figured out. (Far from it!) I wish I could confidently say no, embrace...

Day 68: Ginger Spice Cookies

I am such a sucker for homemade cookies. Chocolate chip are still my all-time favorite, but in the winter, these ginger spice cookies are a very close second. Chewy, spicy, with a hint of salt and a crunch of raw sugar, these are the ultimate afternoon treat. I made them last week and they didn't last 24 hours. (Fortunately I had lots of friends to help me eat them!!) If you have kids, making these cookies is the perfect snow-day activity, as they involve rolling dough into little balls and...

Day 69: My Favorite Neighborhood in Paris (+ a story in Anthology!)

Happy weekend everyone! I must be on some sort of travel kick because last Friday I wrote about Iceland and this week I'm dreaming of Paris. (But honestly, when am I not dreaming of Paris?!) I've lived in Paris several times, and traveled there more times than I can count, and the city mesmerizes me anew each time. Though the center of Paris, with the Seine and its bridges, parks, and monuments is always lovely, I've enjoyed exploring neighborhoods further off the tourist grid my past few...

Day 70: Dreams Aren't Made in a Day

Happy Monday everyone! In the spirit of my "Creating Space" post, I spent some time this weekend by myself, journaling and reflecting on the long, crazy, zig-zagging path that has gotten me to where I am today. I am so humbled by God's faithfulness along the way. It's probably easy to look at the beautiful pictures on this blog and think that life has always been exciting and glamorous. Like I arrived in NYC and just started writing for magazines and throwing dinner parties. (Ha! Not true...

Day 71: Lamb Sliders with Tzatziki Sauce

Even though it's the middle of the winter, I still crave grilled foods. Thanks to my grill pan, I can make summer cookout foods year-round. There's only one small problem: I have no ventilation for my stove. So every time I grill (or sear) meat, my apartment fills with smoke, the alarm goes off, and our bedroom ends up smelling like a barbecue for days. But it's totally worth it. I created these lamb sliders for a couple of reasons. 1) I LOVE lamb. I'd take a lamb burger over beef any day. 2...

Day 72: Learning to Ask the Right Questions

This morning, at 1:30 a.m., when I was finishing off yet another pile of dishes, I was thinking about a question a friend asked me the other day. "What do you know now, that you wish you'd known at the beginning of the cookbook process?" (Good question!) At the time, I laughed and said, "I wish I'd known how hard it would be!!" But upon thinking about it more, I'm glad I didn't realize just how much of myself this project would require. Had I truly grasped the mountain I was attempting to...

Day 73: Apricot-Dijon Chicken & Roasted Broccoli

Well, I did something really crazy last night. I went to bed at 9 p.m. I don't remember the last night I did that. I was absolutely wiped after three late nights/early mornings prepping for photo shoots and I could feel myself getting sick. Part of me wishes I could be one of those hyper-productive people who can thrive on 6 hours of sleep. Alas, I'm not. On 6 hours, I am in a complete fog. Yesterday, I could barely string coherent sentences together. For better of for worse, I need 8 or 9...

Day 74: Los Angeles, Here I Come!!

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I am writing this from about 30,000 feet up in the air, heading west. I'm not going to lie: I am pretty pumped to be heading out of cold, slushy NYC and over to sunny Los Angeles. It's my third time out here, but the first one where I'll actually be driving (Lord help me!), so I'm hoping to do a little more exploring. I've got a few exciting cookbook-related meetings (stay tuned!) and - in a last-minute turn of events - I'm...

Day 75: Toast for Lunch + Feeding South Africa

“It is our moral obligation to give every child the very best education possible. In order to learn, children need to be nourished. The Lunchbox Fund ensures that ever child is equipped to embrace the future and change it for the better.” — Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu Chances are, if you're reading this, you ate breakfast this morning. Maybe a latte and a scone on the way to work, and (if you're anything like me!) you're probably already thinking about lunch. Eating three meals a day is a...

Day 76: When Plans Go Awry

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." E. B. White Good morning friends! After 5 sunny days in California, I'm back in the Eastern snowglobe. The snow has been falling steadily since early this morning, and I am watching it pile up on my fire escape as I type. It's beautiful, and yet to be perfectly honest, I'm a tad annoyed as it's completely thrown off my plans for the day. We were supposed to...

Day 77: Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear friends, Happy Valentine's Day!! I know today is a day dedicated to chocolate and roses and teddy bears and sappy cards. I have no interest in the generic form of Valentine's Day. For me, love is all in the details – not the sweeping gestures. It's knowing your love well enough to know what's going to make him or her smile. This is the first Valentine's Day that I am not spending with Brandon since we met back nearly 6 years ago. He's down in Florida for the month doing treatments for...

Day 78: Potato Leek Soup for a Snowy Day

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." -- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Happy Monday everyone! How was your weekend? Amazingly, NYC got more snow (is it ever going to end?!) and I spent most of the weekend staying warm and cozy in our apartment with the kitties. (There may have been quite a few episodes of House of Cards Season 2 involved...) I sort of hit my...

Day 79: An Ode to Vegetables

This week on the blog I'm celebrating vegetables. If you've read the blog for awhile, you know about my love affair with dark leafy greens (I sneak them in everything from soup to pot pies to spaghetti carbonara) and all manner of fresh produce. Not that I don't love a good steak every now and then, but I'd prefer that it be a side dish – colorful, nutrient-rich vegetables are the stars in my opinion. This week seemed appropriate timing, as I've had the opportunity recently to be involved in...

Day 80: From Garden to Table: A Harvest Party!

I'm all for cooking with fresh ingredients. But last weekend, I did something for the first time: I made a meal with produce that I helped pick out of the ground just hours before dinner. And even more amazing, it was produce grown by my brother! I was out in Los Angeles visiting my brother Davis, who runs an organic garden for the community of Beit T'Shuvah. The garden, which grows on a narrow strip of earth between the sidewalk and a residential street in Culver City, is an exciting project...

Day 81: Spelt Pizza with Ricotta and Spicy Greens

Continuing with our vegetable theme for the week, I wanted to share with you one of my current obsessions: spelt pizza. And not just any spelt pizza, but this one, topped with ricotta, sauteed greens, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. OMG. The combination not only looks beautiful, but it's absolutely delicious. And compared to many of the cheese-and-meat-laden pizzas out there, it's actually pretty healthy. I created this as an appetizer for the Garden Harvest Party, using green onions and...

Day 82: The Wizard's Cookbook (with photos by Signe Birck!)

It's Friday!! Are you all as excited for the weekend as I am?? Not that I have anything particularly thrilling planned, but I get to see Brandon in a few days (finally!) so I'm just happy to be one step closer to that moment. It's been a LONG month apart, but I've been working hard on the cookbook, and he's been working hard on his health, so the time certainly hasn't been in vain. Here in NYC, Signe and I are making huge progress on the cookbook photos: after today we'll have shot 30 recipes...

Day 83: My Favorite Spinach Turkey Lasagna

Ah friends. I had such high hopes for getting Monday off to a great start. You know that feeling where you think you have your day planned perfectly, and then you're thrown a bunch of curve balls that sort of derail your plans? Well, that's been my morning. But let me start with the positive: I had a wonderful weekend, catching up with dear friends, going for a run (in the balmy 55-degree weather!), recharging with some reading and journaling, and then did some serious cleaning after my week...

Day 84: Practicing Gratitude

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are." – Marianne Williamson I'm writing this from the airplane, on the way down to Florida to see Brandon!! It's been a long month, and I'm so glad that our time apart is over. (And as an added bonus, I'm also looking forward to getting out of NYC for a few days before it snows again!!) I hope you all aren't sick of hearing about Brené Brown yet – because I've got more for you! This past week was Week 5 in...

Day 85: A Midweek (Almost-Spring) Brunch Party!

It's not (quite) spring yet, but I'm definitely already in the mood. I've been buying myself bunches of tulips every week from my local bodega to help me make it through these last frigid, slushy days of winter. But recently I did something especially fun to help shake off the midwinter blues: I threw a girly midweek brunch party! The occasion was my dear friend Chrissy's birthday. When I asked her what sort of party she wanted to have, she said she wanted 3 things: "brunch, babies, and...

Day 86: Two (really delicious) New Brunch Recipes

I don't know about you, but by Thursday I've definitely got brunch on the brain. It's one of my favorite meals of the week – a leisurely not-quite-breakfast, not-quite-lunch mid-day weekend feast. It's the perfect meal to host as well, since set-up can be casual, and once everyone leaves, you still have plenty of time left to do the dishes and have a relaxed evening. When I'm creating a brunch menu, I like to make sure there's something sweet, something savory, something salad-y, something...

Day 88: A Cookbook Update!

Good morning friends! Hope your week is off to a great start. We just got home last night from Miami and it was quite a shock to go from a balmy 85 degrees to sub-20 degrees when we got off the plane. I apologize for my lack of blog post yesterday, but I decided to soak up every last drop of sunshine before plunging back into the Polar Vortex. It was so nice having a few days of flip flops and sundresses, but it's always good to come back to NYC. I really depend on the energy of this crazy city...

Day 89: Haricots Verts with Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette

I almost titled this post "My Favorite Side Dish." Then I was going to call it "A Super-Easy Side Dish That Makes You Look Like A Pro." Finally I just decided to call it what it is: Haricots Verts with Dijon-Shallot Vinaigrette. A few disclaimers: I realize that this is more of a summery dish. I also realize that you can't make this dish right now using local beans. But given the fact that the cold, gray days of winter keep hanging around, I'm reaching the end of my tolerance for soups and...

Day 90: Butterscotch Kahlua Puddings with Spicy Pecans

"To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself." - Soren Kierkegaard Good morning friends! For any of you that gave up sweets for Lent, I apologize for posting pictures of these delicious butterscotch Kahlua puddings. But this recipe is too good not to share!! I loved butterscotch pudding as a kid. My mom made it often for dessert, using the little Jello-brand instant mixes. It was easy – add the powder, add some milk, beat with the electric beaters, and chill...

Day 91: Winter Getaway Guide to Miami

Given that it's below-freezing in NYC right now (and has been all week), I wanted to brighten your Friday with a little winter getaway to Miami! Brandon and I were just down there last weekend as you all know, celebrating his birthday and the completion of his hyperbarics treatment. We had a blast, and I wanted to share a few of our favorite spots in the event that you're jonesing to escape the cold and head south. It was our third time in Miami, which is kind of hilarious considering that...

Day 92: Changing the World, One Table at a Time

"This is how the world changes–little by little, table by table, meal by meal, hour by hour. This is how we chip away at isolation, loneliness, fear. This is how we connect, in big and small ways–we do it around the table." - Shauna Niequist Apparently I have a soul sister out there, and her name is Shauna Niequist. She's the author of a book called Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes. Several friends have told me over the past few months that I must read it, and...

Day 93: A Few Things 33 Taught Me

Good morning, friends! Who wants to join me for some waffles and coffee? I know, it's a Tuesday. And I know, most of you have already eaten breakfast. But it's my birthday so I'm going to pretend it's a lazy weekend morning, and that we're all sitting around in PJ's talking about life. So if everything had gone perfectly according to plan (ha!), today would have been Day 100 of The Cookbook Diaries. My original goal was to have all 100 recipes tested, shot, and 100 blog posts under my belt by...

Day 94: Lemongrass Salmon Burgers

It's only been pretty recently that I've started liking burgers again. I ate them a lot growing up, but then I went through my "I won't eat anything with fat" phase in high school and college, and hamburgers sort of went off my radar. Now I love a good burger every once in awhile (with blue cheese, and preferably from Spotted Pig), but what I've come to realize is that I actually prefer non-beef burgers. It's not that I don't like the taste of hamburgers, it's just that I don't like the way I...

Day 95: Breaking through the Mundane

"The epiphanies and the ah-hah's evaporate quickly, leaving the messes and clutter of everyday life." –Jack Kornfied As much as I wish it were true, not every day is exciting. In fact, a lot of my time is taken up with very mundane things: Washing dishes. Answering emails...and more emails... Grocery shopping. Loading up bags of laundry and hauling them down to the laundromat. Lugging said laundry back up my stairs and putting it away. Clean sheets, clean clothes...only to get dirty again, and...

Day 96: Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

Happy Monday everyone! This is an exciting week for several reasons: 1) Today marks my 7-year anniversary of moving to NYC. (Click here for the full story...) 2) This is finally the week – FOR REAL – you amazingly patient recipe-testers will get your recipes. Sorry it's taken such an extraordinarily long time. I had no idea how long my own recipe-testing and editing would take. Excited to see all the fun Yellow Table dinner parties that will come out of this project. :) 3) This is the LAST...

Day 97: The Most Unlikely of Places

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." – Roald Dahl I don't know about you, but I LOVED Roald Dahl's books as a kid. Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Twits...I could go on and on. With his wicked sense of humor, Dahl's stories equally highlight the beautiful and the grotesque elements of life...

Day 98: Parmesan Grits (featured on Cup of Jo!)

Good morning friends! Can you believe it's Day 98 of The Cookbook Diaries?! (Me, neither.) Well, I've got some exciting news: one of my recipes – plus Signe's beautiful photography – is featured today on A Cup of Jo! I love collaborating with other bloggers, but it's an especially huge honor to get a chance to work with Joanna and Shoko (who helps Joanna with the blogger recipe series). They asked food bloggers what they ate for breakfast and I couldn't resist submitting a few ideas... The...

Day 99: Wanna Design My Cookbook?!

So. We've nearly come to the end of (the first) 100 days of this cookbook adventure! When I launched the project last October, five months seemed an impossibly long time. And here we are. Though we're far from done, it's exciting to set out with a goal in mind, and see it come into being little by little. I alluded to this on Day 88, but I've decided to pursue the self-publishing route. Scary? Yes. Exciting? Also, yes! Why? Several reasons: 1) I love the idea of having total control over the...

Day 100: Celebration Time (+ Banana Cupcakes)!!

Wow. I'm kind of speechless right now. It felt so crazy to write Day 100 in the title of this post. The day that felt so endlessly far away is finally here. And I feel a mixture of elation and sadness...I kind of don't want it to end! Since Day 100 was originally supposed to be on my birthday, I think we should all celebrate with my favorite banana cupcakes, even though it's a week late (recipe coming soon). First off: I cannot even tell you how many AMAZING designers I heard from after...

Introducing: The Cookbook Diaries!

Day 1: This is Happening.

Day 2: Pumpkin Madeleines + Daring Greatly