It's been a bit of a hectic week, so today will just be a quick post. But I wanted to keep up the Sober Tuesday tradition since there are only two more left in Lent! Granted I can keep them up after that too, but Lent was the premise, so Lenten mocktails you shall get. I've always loved mint. When I was little, I saw my mom doing a lot of gardening so I of course wanted my own garden too. Like you do. So she told me I could have a small bed of my own, but I would be in charge

Guys. I did it. I finally made a cake for no reason at all, which means I could cut out a slice and photograph it without being crippled by the thought of serving a party cake with a missing slice. I realize this is pretty much a non-accomplishment, but I was very proud of myself and walked around with a shiny glow of success all afternoon. When I was growing up, my mom worked part time coordinating a two-week summer exchange program for Japanese students. So each summer we w

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

And now back to our usual programming. One of the tried and true recipes we made each year was this wonderful, crunchy combination of almond and mint. These candy cane cookies pack a full almond flavor, but without the dense crunch of other similar ones I've tried. These have a lightness that works perfectly with the minty candy cane sugar on top. I would get excited for these every year. I loved the process of sitting around the table, mom handing me a measured ball of dough