Five Little Things

I am in denial that we have reached the end of September. In my last month (or so), I’ve been consumed with family things. I used to think that when the kids got older, life wouldn’t seem as hectic, but the truth is, it’s crazier than ever. I was busy flying out and settling my daughter into her new school, followed by my son’s kick-off into his senior year of high school. My husband and I celebrated another lovely anniversary by the coast. And life threw all kinds of curve balls and surprises along the way (I feel like I’ve been driving to doctor’s appointments every other day this week!). Do not worry; we are all fine — thank goodness! Let’s hope for a calmer October!

In the meantime, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying podcast production – I hope you’ve listened to the amazing guests I’ve welcomed in the last couple of weeks! We covered new culinary shows such as Worth the Hype and All Up in My Grill, olive oil secrets with Corto’s Master Miller, beloved Chinese dishes and their myths and legends, as well as how they fuse well with Southern ingredients. And there’s more to come!

Here are Five Little Things I loved this week:

1. Harvest Season

We’ve arrived at what might be my favorite time of the year: harvest season. For the wineries here in Northern California, there has been a push to harves the grapes as the clouds have rolled in, threatening to grace us with rain. I’m glad that I was able to stop by one of my local wineries this week to stroll amongst the vines and say hello to the plump grapes that will be headed to the presses soon.

Wine harvest aside, this is also the time when the markets are brimming – summer tomatoes and corn are still plentiful, but so are the varieties of apples and pears that are making their way, taking over the stonefruit! I’m easing my way into fall and making things like Zucchini Cornbread and Roasted Tomato, Garlic and Herb Soup.

2. Leftovers

I love leftovers! Repurposing food into something just as (or even more!) delicious is one of my favorite challenges. This week, I shared these Leftover Fried Rice Balls – it’s a fun snack loaded with tons of crunch!

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3. Sick Soup

When TLC is in order, the first thing I make is Arroz Caldo. My kids affectionately call arroz caldo “sick soup,” and I made a batch and blended up a creamy version for my patient who bid farewell to all four wisdom teeth this week. It’s the perfect soup for this time of year, whether you’re sick or not!

5. A Friend Like Me

I loved how Broadway understudy Mikayla Renfrow got her own magic carpet ride to Broadway so she could arrive in time to play the role of Jasmine in Disney’s Alladin! All thanks to the genies on Delta.