Twice the tributes, just as much dystopia. Happy Hunger Games! 24 years before our beloved Katniss and Peeta enter the arena, District 12 had another victor: Haymitch. We finally get the story of Haymitch’s games and it did not disappoint! Such an amazing prequel, the perfect first course to the original series.

Recipe: Mushroom goat cheese tarts! Here is what you’ll need: half a sheet of puff pastry, 3 tablespoons of butter, half a pound of mushrooms, a clove of crushed garlic, half a cup of goat cheese, and some parsley. Don’t worry too much about the type of mushroom. White, baby bella, cremini, whatever you prefer. Preheat the oven to 400º F and lightly grease a baking tray. Lay the puff pastry out and cut it into 8 squares. Poke each square a couple times with a fork and bake for 7 minutes. Take the squares out and flatten them a bit with a spatula. Put the puff pastry back in the oven for about 5 minutes. While the squares are baking, saute the mushrooms and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the squares are done, evenly divide the cooked mushrooms onto the pastry. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese and parsley on top.

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Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Words flow together to form a book the way music notes come together to create a symphony, and no one knows this better than bestselling author Brendan Slocomb! He is an educator, musician, and author and he was kind enough to join me in the kitchen.

Want to learn more about, or order Brendan’s books? Follow this link to his website.

Violin Conspiracy playlist

Dark Maestro playlist

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

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April showers bring bonus podcasts! Close out the month with a nod to the NFL draft and some of our favorite male main characters from beloved fantasy books. Don't know football? No problem! Don't know books? No problem! Don't know nothing? You're welcome here, Jon Snow.

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s in a name? In this episode (occurrence, event, happening, installment, etc.) Rachel serves up an appetizer on “By Any Other Name” by Jodi Piccoult. This spellbinding book explores theories that Shakespeare did not write his own plays, at the same time following a modern playwright working to stage her first play. Woven together as only a master like Piccoult can, this book will have you fleeing the dinner table quickly in order to get to your theater seats on time.

Recipe: Rose petal pesto! You will need: 2 cups of basil, a cup of rose petals (you can buy dried rose petals or, if you have roses, pick your own), 2-3 garlic cloves, half a cup of olive oil, a teaspoon of rosewater, half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, and about a quarter cup of pine nuts. If the rose petals aren’t already chopped, that is step one. Place the basil, petals, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and blend slowly, adding in the olive oil and rosewater as you go. Once it’s pretty well-blended, add the cheese gradually, mixing it in slowly. Your rose petal pesto is ready to be enjoyed.

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Rome! No, not that Rome. Rome, Kentucky. Home of the Walker family and their love interests. Each book in this adorable comedic series tells the story of a different sibling and their journey to their soulmate. Funny, awkward, relatable, all the things - these books will both satisfy your craving for a cute story while leaving you hungry for more happenings in this charming small town.

Recipe: We are making caprese stuffed chicken. You will need four boneless chicken breasts, two cups of a mix of spinach and basil, tomatoes (you can slice a roma tomato, use cherry tomatoes, or sun-dried tomatoes), four slices of mozzarella, or a cup of shredded mozzarella. You will also need an oven, which you will heat to 400º. While the oven is heating, cut a pocket in each chicken breast, like slicing a pita. Stuff each one with the greens, tomatoes, and mozzarella. It’s okay if the chicken breast does not fully cover the caprese ingredients, you don’t need them hidden from view. If you wish, you can secure them with a toothpick. As an option, you can sear the stuffed chicken breasts for about 3 minutes per side over medium-high heat. If you do this, you will only cook them for about 15 minutes in the oven. If you choose to skip the searing step, you will have the chicken in the oven for 20-22 minutes. If you are using a meat thermometer, the chicken is done when the thickest part is 165º. I recommend serving this dish with quinoa and steamed broccoli, but it also pairs well with countless other sides, and some pesto to brush over the chicken.

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One last episode before the season break. Feeling anxious? Too much doom spiraling? Would you define yourself as a chronic overthinker? Joseph Nguyen’s book helps you break out of those mental traps and move towards a calmer mental state. It’s a quick read with lots of great strategies to try and things to consider.

Recipe: Today’s recipe is not a meal so much as a little meal prep. It’s slow cooker shredded chicken. All you will need is a slow cooker, 1 to 2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts and a cup of broth or water. You could add in spices or seasonings like oregano, lemon pepper, paprika, etc. especially if you already know exactly how you will be using the chicken. A splash of lemon or lime juice would probably be good too. Now, pay close attention because this is tough. Put the chicken, liquid, and any seasonings you chose to use in the slow cooker. Set it to high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Walk away and go about your day until the time is up. Once it’s cooked, remove the chicken and place it in a bowl or cutting board to shred with a couple of forks. It should spread pretty easily. Then it is done! You can use it on salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, pasta dishes, stir-frys, or soups!

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sick of politics? So is Nate Campbell. This debut novel by Sarah Razner follows Nate, the a member of an American family political dynasty who would like nothing more than to get as far away from the legacy as possible. Sarah herself joins me in the kitchen to talk about her book and the writing process behind it.

Recipe: Sarah shared a great mac n’ cheese recipe with us to honor Nate’s love of comfort food. This recipe is similar to what she shared, please use whatever type of noodle (regular, GF, protein, etc.) that you would like. Enjoy!

Order your copy of the book today.

Bop along to Sarah’s In Name Only playlist on Spotify using this link.

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Need a cute, feel-good fun read? Look no further than the wide array of novels by Christina Lauren. This charming author duo provides a buffet of palatable books that are sure to make you smile. Let’s dish it out!

Recipe: This dish is my go-to for any potluck or gathering during the fall and winter months. It’s so easy to throw together, tastes delicious, and, as previously mentioned, is so colorful. You will need: greens (this can be kale, spinach, lettuce, or a mix), brussels sprouts, butternut or delicata squash, beets, carrots, craisins, and feta cheese. If you’re really into adding things in, you could also add pecans and/or pumpkin seeds. For dressing I typically use a poppyseed, but anything light and maybe citrusy would be good. All you have to do is chop everything up, put it in a bowl, and mix it. All the veggies are raw. You may want to chop the beets last because the knife and cutting board will turn red. Hold off on adding the dressing until shortly before serving so that nothing gets too soggy. Enjoy this tasty, fresh salad as a side, or add grilled chicken or salmon to make it an entree!

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.