Posted by Adrienne on October 20, 2013 – 9:51 PM
It was one of those weekends I had a lot to get done. Working full-time during the week, weekends are time for my “other jobs”, i.e. freelance writing, blogging, cooking, cleaning and trying to be a decent friend, wife and family member.
Turns out, I can’t do it all. Inevitably, I only achieve half of what I need to cram into the two short days I’m not in the office. It comes down to a choice. Sometimes, I choose to spend quality time catching up with a dear friend, like I did Friday. Or saying screw my to-do list and watching garbage TV for three hours, completely zoned out, i.e. Saturday. I consider it a win that I managed to clean the kitchen, do some laundry and have a nice dinner with my brother. Today was best spent with my mom, aunt and Oma over a long lunch.
No, I did not get everything done I needed to. Yes, I feel a little guilty about it. But what I don’t feel bad about is sometimes pushing everything I HAVE to do to the side and doing things I WANT to do. It’s a tricky battle in my head, but I’m trying to be better about making my weekends more focused on me time and spending time with those I love rather than always working. Balance is coming, slowly.
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Posted by Adrienne on September 29, 2013 – 7:37 PM
It’s Sunday, and the seemingly ever-present sound of football is playing in the background. All I’ve done today is drink my first hot chocolate of the season, browse Pinterest and listen to the incessant rain on the windows. In my opinion, an excellent day.
Last weekend, I attended the International Food Blogger’s Conference, which happened to be nearby in Seattle. I left feeling rejuvenated, re-inspired and ready to get back to sharing recipes here with you. Perhaps it was they keynote from my favorite cookbook author, Dorie Greenspan, or the session from incredible New York Times food photographer Andrew Scrivani that jump-started my desire to get back in the kitchen. Both of them have wonderful generous spirits, and their love for their work exudes from their beings. Mission accomplished, and I’m back.
Today had us craving burgers. My mom makes a mean turkey burger, loaded with grated vegetables that is satisfying, yet doesn’t come with all of the calories and heartburn of a genuine beef cheeseburger. Now, I have nothing against a good cheeseburger, but there’s something slightly virtuous about my mom’s turkey burgers that makes them okay to eat more often.
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Posted by Adrienne on March 2, 2013 – 8:44 PM
I’ve been a little MIA from A Big Mouthful lately. No excuses, but I wanted to fill you in on what I’ve been doing lately.
Earlier this year, I launched Tacoma Foodie, my other blog.
Yes, there’s someone else. I’m not normally a cheater, but this is an exception.
Tacoma Foodie is my local restaurant blog where I cover all things food in my hometown of Tacoma, WA.
So there. I’m far from done with A Big Mouthful. I’ve just added a new member of the blog family. She’s been birthed and I’m back.
Also, I’ve recently gone pretty much gluten free.
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Posted by Adrienne on October 11, 2012 – 10:17 PM
I’m currently watching the Vice Presidential debate.
Clearly, I need comfort.
Or maybe a shot of whiskey. Perhaps some online shopping. At this point, I’ll take what I can get.
Whiskey and shopping aside, certain foods have the ability to take the edge off. For me, it’s the foods my mom made for us as a kid, a plate of pasta or this, a big bowl of warm, savory soup.
Lucky for me, Washington State is made for soup weather. Our months of gray cloudiness have started. It’s dark when I wake up, and well on its way to darkness when I get home from work.
The fall and winter are really the best seasons for soup not only because of the weather, but because of the produce that’s in season. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, kale and chard are plentiful. Let me tell you something, folks, these are the best building blocks for amazing soups. Read More »
Posted by Adrienne on September 3, 2012 – 12:34 PM
It’s Labor Day, the last hurrah of summer.
We’re spending the day in town. Casey’s getting ready for school to start this week — his first year of teaching. It’s exciting for both of us, and we’re glad this new chapter of our lives is starting. I have the day off of work, and I’m doing a bit of cooking and cleaning, and then we’re headed to a barbeque at my parents’ house.
Each morning feels more like fall. The air is crisp, and we’re no longer leaving the windows open 24/7. My cooking is starting to change, too. I’m starting to crave soups and comfort food, and I’m looking forward to trying some new recipes this year.
There’s still time for a few more summery recipes, and this is one of them. A pasta dish that celebrates the best produce of summer, without complicating it too much. It’s also light, yet filling, and easily made vegan if you need to. Read More »
