Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili
Plus, a reading update and 4 dinner recipes I can't wait to try!
Hello Friends,
It’s been awhile, and I’m glad to be back!
In October, I was consumed by my new full-time job and adjusting to the new rhythm of my work and home life. I’m finally getting my footing and the overwhelm is starting to ease up. It feels really good to be focusing on this newsletter again and to have a creative outlet where I can talk about things I love, like food, family life and reading. So thank you for still being here!
Then came November, and well, we all know how November has started for those of us in the United States. I plan to protect this space from political talk (because we all need a break from real life) but I will say that last week was rough and I needed a few days before I sat down to send this newsletter out. I won’t say anything else about the recent election except for that you might notice a heavy emphasis on comfort food for the next few months; there are a whole lot of us in need of serious comfort!
The “good” news is that this is the right time of year to lean into comfort. I’m genuinely glad that the holiday season is fast approaching because it’s a permission slip to put on some warm socks, sip a festive beverage and check out for awhile. I have absolutely no desire to take part in the hustle and bustle this year. Instead, I plan on fully embracing comfort and joy. For the next two months, I want to watch a lot of movies and read a lot of books. I want to spend as much time as I can with my kids and husband and stay in touch with my closest friends. I want to drink delicious beverages and eat a lot of good food. I plan to say yes to every cookie that crosses my path.
Here in California, the heat is slowly starting to ease up and I’m hopeful that our dusty orange and yellow landscape will soon begin to soften into the cooler hues of winter. Autumn is my least favorite season in LA and winter is my favorite, so at least I have that to look forward to.
What are you looking forward to this holiday season? Dig deep, there must be something!
Dinner Last Week
I have to be honest, for the past few weeks dinner at my house hasn’t been super impressive. The kids and I get home from work/school around 4:15pm and three nights a week we leave the house again at 5pm for sports practice. This schedule doesn’t leave much time for cooking. I’ve been relying on easy, basic dinners that get the job done, like no-frills taco night or pasta and jarred sauce. I’ve also been relying on leftovers or “whatever” dinners once or twice a week.
So in this week’s newsletter, instead of sharing my week of dinners, I’m sharing a few recipes that I have bookmarked for future dinners. These all sound so good!
Crispy Italian Baked Tofu, from Emma Frisch (check out her monthly meal plans!)
Chicken meatballs in vodka sauce, from Olivia Mack Mccool
Crockpot loaded potato soup, from Natalie Booras
Chipotle pinto bean stew, from Lucas Volger
Also, from my own blog, this Instant Pot sweet potato chili is a hearty vegetarian meal that always provides leftovers for another dinner. This is a thick chili with a mild flavor that can be adjusted to your liking - I always use fire roasted canned tomatoes for extra spice and put a bottle of hot sauce on the table for even more heat.
Lots of toppings are essential with vegetarian chili, including sour cream, grated cheese, green onion, cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips. Find the recipe → HERE.
This a reminder that the free version of the Kitchen Skip newsletter is now sent 3x a month (instead of every week). Paid subscribers will still receive bonus newsletters and recipes, but on a looser schedule. Read all about the reasons for this change and my new job here!
A Reading Update
This past week, I deleted all of the news and politics apps and podcasts off my phone (except for Pantsuit Politics). I also unsubscribed from all of the political newsletters (except for Letters from an American). In the new year I’ll selectively add a few back, but for right now I need a break.
It felt really good to then fill up my library queue with enough books to take me through the year. I also finally gifted myself a Patreon subscription to Sarah’s Bookshelves. I’ve been listening to her book-related podcasts all week and it’s been balm for the soul.
This year my reading life has been moving along slower than usual - it takes awhile to finish a novel when you’re only reading for 10 minutes a night before falling asleep with the book in your hands! Over the past week, though, I’ve been reading more and I’m looking forward to picking up the pace. I’ve started to bring a book to work with me to read during lunch, instead of scrolling through my phone, and it’s been a nice change.
Here’s what my reading life looks like. . .
God of the Woods - I’m almost finished with God of the Woods by Liz Moore, which is a slowly unfolding drama that I have mixed feelings about. Mostly, I think I’m not in the right mood to enjoy a book that explores real and imagined fears and examines why the men that women love and depend on can end up being more menacing than a actual serial killer out in the woods. Not exactly light and happy stuff. I do like the book, though, and I think that how it ends will really influence how I feel about it overall.
A Great Reckoning - Next, I’m planning to sink into book #12 in Louise Penny's quirky and atmospheric Inspector Gamache series (I’m also enjoying the limited-edition podcast series Journey into Three Pines for an in-depth discussion about each book).
Coming Home - I love getting lost in a Rosamunde Pilcher novel. There’s romance, drama, family and lots of warm tea by the fire.
Up Next on My Hold List
I always feel homesick this time of year and a novel set in the Pacific Northwest is exactly what I crave. Up next on my library hold list is Bear by Julia Phillips, a “hauntingly beautiful novel, set on a remote island off the Northwest Pacific coast.” Hopefully the story won’t be too dark and serious for my mood right now. I might opt instead for a lighter, easier read partially set in historic Seattle, A Wild Heavenly Place.
Also considering. . .The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon and Perris, California by Rachel Stark.
I’m always looking for more reading suggestions! What are you reading and enjoying?
That’s it for today! Sending warm hugs to all - take good care of yourself and have a good week!
xo
Jenny