A little over a month ago, Aaron and I went out for an indulgent mid-week dinner date at a Chicago restaurant we'd been wanting to try for ages. Pleasant House Pub is everything I hoped it would be. Warm, savory pies with all kinds of delicious extras and a beautiful interior to boot. It was the perfect place to go get warm and cozy during the subzero temperatures we were having at the time. Though I think it would be a great summer spot too - there's a beautiful outdoor area

When I was little, there were two small cookbooks my mom always kept on the recipe stand. I would flip through them each time I perched on the counter (somehow the best seat in the room) and wonder why they weren't more interesting since they were roughly the same size as my picture books. I'm not sure why I expected that to change each time I picked them up, but such was the way of things. I remember the title of one was "Too Busy to Cook?" and my childhood self always found

So it's time for something savory. I've been on a bit of a baking kick lately and am sorely neglecting the non-sweet side of things. I've already built a bed today (hello, bedroom update!), so I'm falling back on a favorite fast appetizer. It's a go-to of mine when people are coming to dinner and I don't have time (or let's be honest, energy) to make something more involved. I love serving appetizers when I have guests. I want them to come in while dinner is still being finis