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Lovely Late-Summer Scents

September 10, 2020

Me as a garden nymph at a home scenting event, 2014

I'm not willing to accept that it's almost fall, because my internal calendar remains convinced that it's still April 2020. Or maybe April 2025; who knows! This reluctance-to-embrace-the-new-season is made vastly easier by the fact that it is approximately ten thousand degrees in Southern California at the moment, and I can barely walk my dog around the block without dissolving into a pool of sweat.

You know by now that I'm a bit of a candle obsessive; even when it's hot out, I have candles burning. Beyond being something that's always been a personal habit of mine, it's just kind of necessary when your home is filled with Child and Dog smells (yummmm).

ENTREES

Before Summer Ends

September 6, 2020

'Tis almost the day when the grill gets covered up for the cold months, and all that lovely fresh corn disappears from the shelves (or becomes terrifying and inedible, as evidenced by the fact that the corn I bought at Trader Joe's yesterday had actual, living CATERPILLARS in it, and if you think I screamed like Ghostface himself was hanging out inside that husk, you would be correct).

So here are ten recipes that I think you should make lickety-split, before you encounter any surprise beasties of your own in the fresh produce section.

Decor

Who’s A Good Boy?!

August 27, 2020

My rug died.

Or, rather: Archie killed my rug.

It's OK, I obviously expected it; potty training has not historically been my forte with either canines or humans. Very fortunately, the particular rug that Archie killed was a simple jute rug that I didn't expect to last very long, and that had pretty much been beaten to death already. But this room really needs a rug; it just looks so ungrounded without one.

Eat

Easy Beef & Veggie Bowls (Plus My Current Dinner Hack)

August 25, 2020

These beef-and-veggie bowls are the evolution of a bulgogi bowl recipe I found online forever ago, and incorporate quick-pickled vegetables and soy sauce sweetened with brown sugar and ginger - it's a CRAZY flavorful dish - and so incredibly quick to make - and we've had this one in the rotation all summer long. *Important note before I continue: This is not an authentic Korean bulgogi recipe; it's simply a beef-and-veggie bowl spruced up with flavors inspired by the real thing.*

Curious about Korean food? This site run by a Korean mom has fantastic recipes to try at home.

Before we get to the recipe, here's a little hack I've been using, especially now that we're back to school: I keep a constant stockpile of assorted types of VeeTee rice on hand and use it to stretch out chicken, fish and beef dishes for lunch or dinner the next day. My kids are legit obsessed with VeeTee because 1) it's rice, and rice = always good, and 2) they can make it themselves in the microwave in just two minutes with zero fuss and mess. For this recipe I used Veetee Thai Jasmine rice, but I also usually have a whole bunch of Basmati and Wholegrain & Quinoa in my cabinets.