Hey friends!

Are you ready for our group cage dive with Kasey and her sharks!?  No?  Too soon?  Ok… maybe next week.

On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast with TRACY(!!!) from Shutterbean, we talk to our 21 year old selves.  They need a good talking to.  They’re drinking too much, dating bozos for too long, and reading their roommates’ diaries.  It’s out of control.

While Joy digs deep to find a picture of her table-dancing, cigarette smoking, Red Bull- drinking youth… here’s Tracy exploring an early goth phase.  Can we live?  (heck yes!)

Martini, martini, martini. James Thurber once said: “One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough.” And wasn’t it W.C. Fields who said: “Buy me a drink and I’ll sing like a canary?” These quotes are more than just quips. They reveal the truth. Nobody likes a sloppy drunk. This week the gents go behind the bar to encourage you to drink in style. But what exactly is your style?

Starting with Where’s The Party?

The guys at The Table Set have a cautionary tale to tell about booze. How to enjoy it and how to avoid the ugly pratfalls that come from too much of a good thing. Straight vodka poured from the bottle to the glass is one way to become a sloppy drunk. Take the example of Arrested Development’s Lucille Bluth. Andy had a party to celebrate the return of one of his favorite TV shows. It involved costumes and sluts… and vodka. Girls With Low Self-Esteem indeed.

Drinking can be fun if you Keep it a Treat as Nathan reminds us. Before we get to the Do‘s, Greg wants to remind you of the Don’ts. Especially when flying. You don’t want to end up in the arms of a TSA agent now do you?

So how do you avoid the cocktail pitfalls? Drink what you enjoy and enjoy the process. But not everybody or every bar is a master at mixology. Greg has the the 3 M’s rule. When in doubt most bartenders can at least make some version of a Martini, Manhattan or Margarita. They may not always be good versions, but at least the bartender won’t stare blankly at your face when you say, “make me a Negroni or Boulevardier please.”

There are bars that know good cocktails though. Naturally the guys seek them out. From bitters through infusions– many of today’s bartenders are reaching for unexpected ingredients and employing culinary techniques to expand and sometimes challenge the palate. Herbs and spices are moving from the kitchen to the bar as more and more bartenders develop cocktails with a ‘from scratch’ approach– utilizing innovative ingredients and modern techniques to create a new category of beverages. That’s because we are in the midst of a cocktail renaissance. It may have started in the 80′s and 90′s with concoctions like the Sex in the City drink of choice, the Cosmopolitan. But as this renaissance develops the trend is becoming more sophisticated than those sweet pink drinks that Carrie Bradshaw and crew enjoyed.

So listen up before you drink up. The guys at The Table Set have something to say.

Liqurious Links:

Bartender’s Choice app by the master bartenders behind New York City’s Milk & Honey

Nathan’s apple bitters recipe

Setting up your home bar

Home Bar Basics by Dave Stolte

How To Mix Drinks or A Bon Vivant’s Companion by Jerry Thomas

Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons

This week on the Joy the Baker Podcast, things get WEIRD.  I know we’ve said this before… but we mean it now more than ever.

This week we’re playing another rousing game of Would You Rather.  This time around it’s the Summer Edition.  With mention of jelly fish stings, shark tanks, and hot tubs filled with warm chili and strange men… yea… it’s WEIRD.

Would you rather date a dude that rides a unicycle or date a dude that ride a skateboard with a paddle?  Both?

Would you rather train a shoulder cat or train a shoulder parrot?  ps.  Shoulder cat is always the answer.

Look what you made me do?

Does peeing on jellyfish stings really work?

image credit: national geographic

Let’s hang out in a shark tank.

Don’t look at me like I’m dinner, SHARK.

Megan’s still in the thick of the early days with these cuties:

And so we need to talk about light-hearted stuff. Or more specifically, light-hearted TV. Shows we dig, just for laughs:

• The Mindy Project
• Parks & Rec
• Modern Family
• Psych

Current fave blogs of Megan’s: Deeper Story et al, Hollywood Housewife, Against All Grain.

She uses BlogLovin’; Tsh uses Feedly and just wrote about it. However you read blogs—it’s all good.

And Megan’s kinda sad about not seeing this on the big screen:

Though it’ll save her tons o’ money, because date nights? Are expensive.

What are your favorite lowbrow shows? How do you read blogs? Did you sit in the wayback on family road trips?

In our last house we had a different fridge. We unfortunately couldn’t take it with us because it wouldn’t have fit in our new house. It was a pretty good fridge & I really miss it. Wahhh. I think this fridge that we have now is from my childhood. The one before that was avocado green! I secretly wish we still had it.

Our fridge now works for the most part and we’ve been living with it (it leaks and makes really loud noises!) but I feel like it should be called the GREAT FOOD HIDER. I swear, I never really know what I have in there because I have to stand back 5 feet to see way in the back of it.

I was having a really good Sunday in the kitchen last week and decided to go through my fridge again and weed it out & set the tone for the week. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get my head back in the game.

Here’s the kitchen. This is the kitchen I learned how to cook in! It’s changed a lot over the years.

Are you ready to see inside? It’s kinda packed. Go ahead…snoop!

There’s really no rhyme or reason for anything. I’ve been living in the SHOVE stuff in here mode.

It’s not really that fun. I have no idea what’s in there half the time.

So I started sorting everything.

And cleaning…a soapy rag makes a huge difference.

Especially with the yucky parts. Dang jam!

We also have a part of the fridge that leaks…water collects down here and I have to use a turkey baster to get it out every other day. YIKES!

This is the current sate of our fridge. Things are way more organized. I also weeded out a bunch of old stuff.

I probably could have done a better job “styling” the drawers but THIS IS REAL LIFE.

All it takes is meal time and the chi can get disrupted.

Have mercy! There’s actually some empty spots to put food now.

I bought a few pull out bins from the Container Store. They’re fantastic.

This bin is for tubs of things–like cream cheese, sour cream, dips, etc.

This narrow pullout bin is for almond butters & such.

I sorted all of my jars/condiments and created sections for myself.

I’m sticking to it!

I really hope that I can keep this up!  The freezer is next!

A few things are true this week on the Joy the Baker Podcast: you should not egg the car of your boss (but maybe just fantasize about it a little) and we’re not sure if you should break up with your boyfriend (only you know what to do) (definitely don’t egg him).

It’s almost Mother’s Day!

To celebrate, Tracy is going to spend some quality time with her family, Tyler Florence (T-Flo episode here), and make Cooper paint only in blacks.  Happy Day to you Mama Tracy and Happy Mother’s Day to all you awesome mamas!  You deserve praise (and brunch).  Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas.

Shutterbean – Silk Soy Milk from HomeFries on Vimeo.

 Have fun at your first blog conference, Winter!  Maybe you’ll meet you maj!!  This is Tracy and I, Day One… youth!

Now let’s just sit under the Jacaranda Tree in our folded over boxer shorts, and sports bras and talk about Jared Leto.  That sounds about right.

Thank you for listening!  We’re thankful you’re here!  Truly (madly, deeply) (don’t act like you don’t remember that song).

Sigh… It’s almost the end of the school year. Are you as tired of school as your kids? We are.

Kat was down at the police station. Intense.

And the police tower that used to be Kat’s OB/GYN office. It’s as weird as it sounds:

Ikea cups vs. jelly jars… Jelly jars win.

Rachel at Small Notebook takes off a whole month of blogging every summer (at least she used to). Tsh does, too, but still runs regular posts.

Kat loves the Little House audiobook series for road trips. Tsh’s kids like Magic Treehouse.

Short for girls—why, oh why are they so short? Thankfully Bermuda shorts are kinda hip.

Kat’s new site: brilliant. Check out How They Blog to read about a featured blogger of the week. Love!

How do you keep your kids entertained in the car on long road trips? Have you found good spill-proof cups for kids? And where do YOU buy non-sleazy shorts for girls?

It’s time for another episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast!  This week, one of you is getting engaged!  Yea… believe it.  It’s pretty major!

We’re also going to relive out teen magazine quiz days to find out whether we’re going to be rich or poor in ten years.

Also… Tracy would like you to be careful on the trampoline.

We need to introduce you to a new member of the Homefries family.

Meet Lloyd, the new kitten.  He’s the sweetest thing.  He really is.

Also… Ain’t nobody got time for that!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSTy4qVw9yQ

Thank you for joining us for another podcast!  We love that you’re here!

There’s always a party in LA. This week the guys invite a guest to talk about parties they’ve been to (CicLAvia) and parties they’d like to attend (The Kentucky Derby).

Their guest is Whitney who you know from her podcast The Crush (Wine Talk Unfiltered). She’s here to prove she knows a thing or two and not all of it’s wine related. She’s from Kentucky. Known for Blue Grass, Bourbon and Horse Races. So strap on your hat (or fascinator) and get ready for the Derby ride of your life.

Speaking of rides, the business of CicLAvia needs to be attended to. From the hoards of pedalers to a bikeable feast, Andy’s an avid cycler and he has a story or two to tell about this year’s event. It stretched from downtown Los Angeles all the way to the beach. Andy’s not the only person at the table to partake in the bicycling festivities. Greg and Whitney participated– each in their own way. Greg’s involved an automobile. Maybe he’s lived in Los Angeles too darn long. Nathan meant to attend but he’s still working on his Grog Log!

The Grog Log may be old news from a previous episode. But it may also be where Nathan formed the question that led to tonight’s episode, “What’s up with those big hats?” He’s talking about The Kentucky Derby, or just The Derby to those in the know. The guys at The Table Set would like to be “in the know” so they invited Whitney to the table. She’s from Louisville and before we get this Derby Party started she’d like you to know it’s Louisville. That’s LOO-ah-vuhl with the ah practically swallowed. LOO-ah-vuhl. Now you say it. LOO-ah-vuhl.

So what is up with those big hats? The question is fascinating. From the biggest hat to the smallest facsinator, one size does not fit all. Because The Derby is not just a hat for the dapper gent to don. It’s the super bowl of horse racing and the star of Churchill Downs.

Sure the hats are iconic. But so is the bourbon. Traditionally it’s served in that other icon of The Derby, The Mint Julep. The lore about Juleps goes well beyond horse racing however. To muddle or not to muddle? That is the question. The vessel is not without its controversy either. Greg likes a modern glass. But purists insist on a metal cup– be it traditional sterling or pewter. Nathan knows a thing or two about Juleps too and serves his in post-modern enameled cups. If the controversy is just too much for you, do as Whitney does– strap a flask to your leg with Saran Wrap and (maybe?) duct tape. It’s oh so chic and certain to keep you far away from the hoards in line for the official Derby endorsed Early Times Mint Julep. Which may or may not contain mint in its liquid form (depending who you ask).

The Derby is a race, sure. But its its also a show. Whether it’s that big hat or all that bourbon, there’s tradition behind the showmanship. From the seats in millionaires row for the A-listers and B-grade celebrities, to the betting and the parties we all have at home. A good time is just waiting to be had. When it comes to entertaining Derby-style, it’s important to know What to Wear Where. The choices for gentlemen include: Seersucker, Bow-Ties, Linen and Gingham. Ladies can wear hats of course, and cute, “springy” dresses. Maybe even a parasol. Pink, it seems, is favored by both boys and girls.

A party needs more than proper attire. Especially a Derby party. The race may be the main event. But don’t forget it only lasts two minutes. A good host should be prepared to entertain his or her guests all afternoon. Party games and costume contests can be fun. A hand-picked and appropriate playlist is a must. Nathan made one he calls At The Derby. But these guys think it all starts with the food. Southern classics are expected. Try Corn Pudding and Grits. In the South they count as vegetables. As do Pole Beans. When they’re young and fresh pole beans can be cooked and eaten right in the pods– a lot like green beans. They’re often stewed with ham hocks and maybe a bit of spice. They sit nicely next to fried chicken (of course). You could also try serving Hot Brown, a kind of low brow gravy plopped on a plate (yes that’s the proper terminology). Hot Brown is sometimes served with turkey but it’s always with (white) bread.

Speaking of white bread, Andy likes biscuits. They’re a natural part of the Southern diet. Andy makes his with chicken fat and hyper-bleached flour. Which may not sound like Andy. But if you could taste those biscuits with a bit of honey and jam you’d forgive him his trespass. Andy’s not the only one breaking a few rules. When it comes to Slaw, another Southern classic, Greg prefers kale. Proving once again that maybe he’s lived in Southern California too long.

Dessert is a given. It’s Derby Pie. Imagine Pecan Pie with chocolate chips and you’ll know why it’s the only pie to suit the day. We also know you’ll be serving bourbon. Mint Juleps are expected, but bourbon tastes good in many different ways. Try a splash in an Arnold Palmer (black tea and lemonade). Better yet, Whitney serves a vanilla-infused Pecan Milk Punch (it’s raw and vegan… well, the bourbon’s cooked). For something a bit bolder try her original creation the Old Smashioned. It’s a blackberry hybrid. Somewhere between an old fashioned, Old Fashioned and a new fashioned Julep.

So Where’s the Derby Party in your life going to be? Even if you can’t be at the track. It’s easy to get in the spirit. Greg lives next door to the artist Laura Smith who did the art for the The Kentucky Derby poster one year. Greg remembers showing up to the party to celebrate in style. Because that’s what’s up with that big hat.

Tsh and Hayley are talking about spring in the midst of their fake spring. C’mon, snow in April? Who needs that. Nobody, that’s who.

Hayley is loving her Analog Weekends:

…and Tsh is loving her Screen Sabbaths.

Do you feel the need for more quiet in your life, too? We thought so.

Still, Hayley did Instagram her podcasting with Tsh during this recording:

Fried Okra had the BEST response to the whole Dear-Mom-on-the-iPhone thing.

Hayley (and Tsh) listen to Entreleadership, Dave Ramsey’s podcast.

And Hayley still likes Simplicity Parenting.

How do you handle big news with your kids? How do you deal with spring fever? And do you need an offline break, too?

In our old house I had my jewelry pretty organized. Remember when I went through my bathroom & cleaned it all out?   In our house now we have a cabinet under the sink where I keep the tupperware drawers of my jewelry (bracelets, earrings & hair doo-dads) hidden. I like that it’s concealed but I realized that I am not wearing a fraction of my accessories because I don’t see it all the time.

But…my mom put up all of these hooks in her bathroom….and I couldn’t resist hanging my necklaces on them. I really liked the access, but I found it super cluttered and really couldn’t see what necklaces I have in my arsenal. Everything is just lumped together. I have lived with this for the past year and then one day I found myself in the clearance section at The Container Store…

I walked down those aisles staring at each item…trying to come up with organizing schemes in our house. And low and behold in the SALE section, I found a few organizers. What attracted me was:

• the price (nothing more attractive than a RED sticker at The Container Store)
• that I could see all of my accessories at once
• I could have it out of sight in my closet, yet still have easy access to it.

This is the first one that I bought. You can find it online here.

I decided to get this other one too because I thought it would work well with all of the small studded earrings I have.

So here I am going through all of my loose jewelry….

I put my earrings in this one. On the other side I have pendants & rings. It’s only 1/4 full on the other side.

And I hung up my necklaces on this one.

They are grouped by kind/like. Now I can access a necklace based on kind!

Here they are in action! I have them at the end of my closet so I can see them when I immediately open the door.

I’m hoping these organizers help remind me that I have a nice collection of stuff to jazz up my outfits. Or maybe it will inspire me to get rid of some…

Last time on the Table Set, the gents were getting excited for the season premier of Mad Men.  After watching it, Andy has decided that there was plenty to get excited about.  He was especially swooning over the opening scene in Hawaii which featured a Blue Hawaiian Cocktail.

Greg is no stranger to a Blue Hawaiian, and ignoring the blue food dye, he thinks it’s one classy cocktail.  Especially how he enjoyed it recently at a beach club in Hawaii.

Yes, Greg’s trip to Hawaii was quite the party.  Cocktails on the beach followed by swimming with manta rays in the ocean!

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Nathan attended an “Impromptu Tiki Party.”  Looks like Greg wasn’t the only one with tropics on the mind.

So to keep the party going, the gents decided to take a trip deep into the valley to NORTH North Hollywood to visit LA’s oldest tiki bar: The Tonga Hut.

Greg declared it was the perfect balance of old school dive bar and hip tiki hot spot!  Marie the bartender was whipping up some flippin’ great cocktails using all kinds of exciting ingredients including fresh watermelon juice, chai syrup, passionfruit and, yes, even a tiki drink made with Campari!   

The Tonga Hut also features a challenge of Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log.  Any drinker who can drink their way through the lengthy list of classic tiki drinks (some of which Marie admitted are awful) within one year get’s a special plaque on the bar wall, and a very stylish fez.

Perhaps you’ve also noticed that tiki drink ingredients are sneaking their way into non-tiki drinks at trendy bars lately. Ingredients like orgeat and falernum are really just dressed up sweeteners, so they can be pretty versatile   Take Nathan’s pistachio orgeat, for example, here pictured in a genever-based drink.

Further proof that tiki culture is no longer confined to the dark basement of tiki bars.  It’s on the forefront of what’s hip now.

But speaking of basements, the gents were reminded of the sweet tiki bar they visited in a basement of a house in LA.  They made drinks there and have this video to prove it!

Rum may be the primary spirit used for tiki drinks, but you can easily dress up other spirits with tiki flavors.  A classic vodka rendering would be the Chi Chi.  Greg has a recipe for a blue concoction based in tequila.

If you’re looking for something simple, try making a Ti Punch, which is really not all that different from a Daiquiri.  Rum, lime, sugar, done!

Or maybe you don’t want any booze in your drink at all.  Many tiki drinks still taste quite splendid when you leave the booze out.

Unless your recipe is all booze, like Nathan’s tiki-inspired aromatic cocktail called The Tigress.

Regardless of the ingredient list, tiki is really all about style and presentation.  Excess of garnishes?  Check!  Fun serving vessel?  Check!  Fire?  Whoa!

Skip the Bacardi 151 and try Wray & Nephew’s delicious overproof rum for igniting your drink.  Nathan soaks bread cubes in it and then lights them in a hallowed out lime half.  A dash of cinnamon on the flames makes for exciting sparks!

The last piece of tiki flare for the evening: gifts from Greg from Hawaii!

Aloha!

Hooray—it’s time to talk to Lisa Leonard again!  She’s at the SNAP! Conference this week, probably painting or mod podging or basket weaving or something.

Tsh just redesigned Simple Mom, and it was scary but feels SO GOOD.

Lisa finds a lot of inspiration at thrift stores. Love that.

When Tsh has writer’s block, she reads. And dumps her brain.

Lisa likes the Pioneer Woman’s chicken spaghetti.

Tsh recently did a Whole30, so now they’re one of “those paleo families.”

Here are some of their favorite faith-based bloggers:

• Sarah Bessey
• Rachel Held Evans
• Jamie the Very Worst Missionary (mild language)
• Deeper Story
• Sarah Markley
• Emily Freeman

…and plenty more that they’ve forgotten at the moment. Oh! (in)courage. Hello. Oh, and hello—our friend Jen Hatmaker. Definitely, definitely her.

Do you have any date night ideas? Who are some of your favorite faith-based bloggers?

Leave your expectations at the door.  Let’s just live.

Welcome to another Joy the Baker Podcast!  We’re talking about expectations… we all have them.  We expect that people work as hard as us.  We expect people to understand our expectations.  And we expect our favorite culinary gardener to be where we think he’s going to be when we’re ready for a visit.

Sometimes (seriously, most times) our expectations don’t  hold up.  Let’s discuss.

Oh!  Also… we’re going to get into some real-life ghost stories, because… yea.

This week Tracy and I were able to spend a few days together.  It was like a friend-date and sleep-over.  We went to Yountville for an afternoon to visit with Lena at Cup4Cup and make some awesome gluten-free pizza!

We were also hoping to reconnect with our favorite culinary gardener, Tucker Taylor.

Sigh….

Should we take some time to talk about Sparkle Horses?  Tucker is our favorite Sparkle.  It’s the eyes.  My clothes are moments from flying off (not really/ maybe/ kinda/ oh geez/ help).

If you need to see magic sparkle eyes in motion, there’s a video here.

Ok!  Back to expectations.  Tracy found some handy-dandy tips!  Tips for Lowering your Expectations,  think on em.

Cake.  I expected Tracy’s cake to be bonkers delicious and IT WAS!  Tracy’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

We expected this French Bread Pizza to be insane!  It was.  French Bread Pizza. Two Ways! Tracy’s interpretation

Joy’s Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread.

An A.  Not a B+.

We’d like to eternally thank you for listening to our podcast.  Thank you for being a part of the madness.  We love hearing from you!  Call us at 817-82-fries or email us at contact at homefries dot com.  You are supreme!!

Big love from us to you!

Hello friends!

We’re so happy you’re here for another Joy the Baker Podcast!  This week we want to inspire you to stay healthy, get informed, and go see a doctor.  It’s Spring and we just want to make sure that everything is in tiptop shape.  We’ll talk about donating blood, folding our clothes, wrestling with that dang paper gown… and for heaven’s sake let keep our socks on.

We got quite a few questions this week about weight loss.  Tracy and I have very differing tactics.  Joy attacks weight with exercise.  Tracy attacks weight with food management.  Also… let there be smoothies.

The Spinach, Kiwi, and Chia Seed Smoothie

How about a Strawberry Cucumber Smoothie?

Super Spinach Smoothie is always a good move.

This glass full of health:  Kale Apple Grape Carrot Juice

It’s jumpy house/ bounce house/ bouncy castle time!

Rachel, consider your joint birthday celebration PLANNED.  Bounce on.

Thank you for joining us for another podcast!  We are grateful for you!  Send us your email questions at contact at homefries dot com, or call us at 817-82-fries.

With love!

Hello Friends!!

So a few weeks ago I set out to merge all of my emails to Gmail. How’s it going? Hmm….I’m still trying to figure it all out. When I imported my email addresses, thousands of emails merged and made this task SUPER daunting. You might remember that I am merging 5 email addresses into my Gmail account so I can have Gmail be the hub for my addresses.  It took me a few days to get on top of it and move things out of my inbox and archive. To be honest, I’m still not done with it all because I feel like it’s super disorganized within all of my folders. It’s also taken some time getting used to searching for things within my inboxes.

What have I learned? That you MUST commit to blasting your email ASAP.

I had to change my thought process for when an email comes in to:

• Does this email require action?
• Do I need to keep this for later/archive it?
• What folder does this need to go in?
• Is this personal or Shutterbean related?

I also spent the first week blasting all of the subscribed emails. If I got an email from a list I didn’t want to be on, I unsubscribed IMMEDIATELY. It was super gratifying and I feel a tremendous sense of relief not to have all of those nagging/unnecessary emails.

What’s the biggest takeaway from this?  You HAVE to make a big effort to keep on top of your Inbox. Everything in life requires maintenance.  In life you have to keep on top of EVERYTHING and create rules and systems or else you drown. I have also realized that I have a huge problem with starting something and jumping right in and figuring things out as I go. This can get me into trouble because I don’t always understand how I am going to use something….and then months/years later the task of reorganizing is just so dang overwhelming. I can’t tell you how much work I had to do on my website re-design because I didn’t tag & categorize my posts properly. So with this Inbox thing, I’m taking things a little slower so I make sure I’m doing things correctly. It’s a learning process!

What’s next? Continue tackling my inbox and hopefully get around to deleting unnecessary items from both my phone & computer in the next few weeks.

WISH ME LUCK.

This episode is dedicated completely to the art and science of book publishing. Or, at least, Tsh and Emily’s 5% of total knowledge they have on the subject. But you all have asked them lots of questions about the topic, so they thought it’d be fun to dedicate a podcast on the subject.

Tsh’s books are Organized Simplicity and One Bite at a Time, and she’s got a new one coming out early 2014 with Thomas Nelson called Notes from a Blue Bike.

Emily’s books are Grace for the Good Girl and Graceful, and newest book will be available later this year, called A Million Little Ways.

Emily’s first conference about writing was She Speaks.

How to write a book proposal, by Michael Hyatt.

Emily wrote about the day networking died.

She’s also written other posts about traditional publishing.

Jeff Goins wrote about an alternative to self-promotion.

Tsh found the database she was thinking of—it’s called Agent Query.

And sadly, Jon Acuff doesn’t have his free e-book about writing a book on his anymore…

Emily also wrote about building a bench.

Caroline Starr-Rose left a great comment on Emily’s post, and quoted the lovely Katherine Paterson.

Emily likes Richella Parham.

Some blogs we recommend about the book writing and publishing process:

• Jody Hedlund
• Jeff Goins
• Chip MacGregor
• Rachelle Gardner

What question of yours didn’t they cover? Are you a published author with a drastically different experience than theirs?

This week on the Joy the Baker Podcast, we’re shaking it up a bit.  We have a super special guest joining us.

Please help us welcome Deb Perelman, the author and bourbon-drinker behind the Smitten Kitchen blog and The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  Deb is so lovely and funny and wonderfully open about her jam song, bourbon intake, and microwave oven.

First things first!  Let’s talk about our Jam Songs.  Jam Songs are the songs we listen to to get pumped and excited!  They’re the songs that make you feel like you can tackle anything.

Joy’s Jam:  Eminem’s Lose Yourself.

Tracy’s Jam:  Far East Movement’s G6. (We don’t even know what a G6 is…. we should probably ask Deb’s toddler Jacob.)

Deb’s Jam:  Vampire Weekend’s Steps.

We have a certain someone in common with Deb and her Manhattan lifestyle.  We happen to have a bartender in common.

Tracy and I had some gin-infused good times after a bowl of ramen when we were in NYC last summer.  Gosh.

This is Troy, our collective bartender.  He is patient, generous with the gin, and has nice arms.

We have to talk about Spring!  It’s happening right before out eyes!  It’s maxi dress season!!  Let’s stock up!

Tracy got this dress at Old Navy and is OBSESSED.

Thank you for joining us for you 90th episode of the podcast!  We love that you’re here!

We really enjoyed your emailed questions from last week, but because of our special guest, we couldn’t get to as many questions as we normally do.  More next week, to be sure!

Email us at contact at homefries dot com.  Call us at (817) 82-fries!  We love to hear from you!

The Table Set boys know how to party. But even pros have off days.
Greg got a bee in his bonnet (literally), and Nathan’s blind tiki date went, well, sour when the bar never opened. Luckily Andy triumphed at Dapper Day whilst the rest of Hollywood was glued to the tube.

Yes, the Academy Awards is a big one when it comes to TV Parties. But drunk celebs and sports events aside, television program marathons can be an even more perfect excuse to geek-out on a major theme.

Nathan’s flannel-clad My So-Called Life TV party was one of his most successful to date, but Andy thinks the only thing less fun[ny?] than watching Claire Danes cry all day is the opening credits to David Lynch’s cult nineties TV classic, Twin Peaks.

It just so happens that Twin Peaks is just what Nathan has in store for his TV Party 2.0 ever since the amazing “In the Trees: Twin Peaks’ 20th Anniversary Art Show” at Clifton’s Brookdale historic cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles. For the Log Lady, a Bûche de Noël would be a fitting centerpiece homage, with Cherry Sherry Cobbler cocktails and damn fine cups of coffee spiked with glazed donut vodka(!) to sip on.

Of course, spending a cozy June Gloom weekend indoors eating cherry pie may not be for everyone(?!). Another favorite TV series of the boys’ that is ripe with less-esoteric thematic ease is the quintessential Mad Men.

In light of Season 6′s premiere, Andy reflects on his spirited Steak a la Betty Draper Mad Men TV party of seasons past. What would he do differently now? Deep into the Swinging Sixties, the allure of color-blocked Palm Springs chic, zany toothpick foods, and prototiki fruity drinks come to mind…

Greg and Andy have been chomping at the bit to talk about Arrested Development ever since its highly-anticipated return was announced. With Netflix’s marathon-ready season 4 bulk release nigh, there is still much to plan.

Signature cocktail? That would probably be a Lucille – Cloudmir Vodka & tonic (homemade, naturally). Andy wants to print out labels of the fictional Cloudmir brand to dress bottles for the table – and maybe “blue” himself while he’s at it!

Chocolate-covered bananas rolled in mixed nuttiness are a no-brainer, for snacks. Andy has more complex and delicious-sounding plans for the Cornballer though, while Greg suggests a spin-off combo involving fried deviled eggs. Nathan would also settle for a scoop of sweet corn ice cream. Andy’s pièce de résistance however is his inspired ramen-like savory Hot Ham Water…

What to wear where?? Luckily TV parties make that part easy (but tell me honestly, does this log make me look fat?)

Yay—Megan’s back! She’s had her TWIN babies, so we get nitty-gritty with the baby stuff.

Project Simplify. Are you in?

Harry Potter! Let’s talk about it.

Yes, there are SPOILERS in this episode—BUT we try our best to let you know ahead of time before we say something. You can fast-forward a bit if you don’t want to hear anything. Or, you can bookmark this podcast episode, finish the books, then come back and listen.

There’s a site called The Leaky Cauldron devoted to nothing but HP.

AND there’s a podcast—and they interview JK Rowling! Makes us love her even more.

She was interviewed by the BBC a few years ago, and the show is wonderful. Hard to find online, though. Here’s the best version we can find.

Megan’s into Once Upon a Time.

She chats about it on her blog! Love the show? You’ll want to read her recap posts.

Tsh LOVES Call the Midwife. Loves, loves, loves it.

The Mindy Project—a fun new show. Not hard-hitting or deep, but it’s good for some laughs.

And if it’s nonfiction you’re after, you need to read Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. Tsh just finished it, and it’s amazing.

And Laura’s in it, too.

Have you read Harry Potter? What was your favorite book, your biggest surprise, the character you loved to hate? What shows are you in to these days? And are you a parent of twins, also?

Hi Friends!  Welcome to another Joy the Baker podcast!

This week we’re talking about Tracy’s awkward leg massage, and taking your questions about friendship.  We’re friends… we have some words for you!

Joy just got back from a quick lady-friend trip to New Orleans.  Sometimes friendship takes some time off and a trip across the country, other times friendship requires a chill pill.

We’ve talked about friendship before!

There’s The Friend Diet where we talk about our weirdo secret diet that involves texting pictures of all of our meals.

Take a listen to You’ve Got a Friend where we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly side of friendship.

A long long time ago we talked about Long Distance Relationships… romantic and otherwise.

Thanks for joining us for another podcast!

Call or email us with your questions: (817) 82-fries or contact at homefries dot com.  We love you, we do.

Tsh and Myquillyn are together, talking about the weirdness that is their names. (At least Myquillin has a normal last name…)

She recently revealed her name, and… everything’s fine. (And then wrote about being debt-free!)

Myquillyn likes a post Tsh wrote last year about going to see Brave. She also wrote about her day in the life. And the logistics of her book writing—parts one and two.

Myquillyn is the queen of plate hanging.

She has a boy with a permit! Amazing.

Some of their favorite (for the past week) blogs…

The Handmade Home:

The Hunted Interior:

One Hundred Dollars a Month:

Nom Nom Paleo:

Flower Patch Farmgirl:

And we accidentally called her Shauna. She’s Shannon. Shannon. We knew that. Sorry, Shannon!

Tsh is using Feedly—it’s easy-peasy! She’ll write a post about it soon.

…And Myquillyn’s finally a grownup and wearing lipstick!

Tsh is still using boring lanolin.

What kind of lip stuff do you like? What blogs are you in to these days? And do you have a weird name? Tell us below!

This week the guys hip hop down the bunny trail on their way to a Happy Hipster Easter– with a few party stops along the way.

The first stop comes from Greg who hosted a 60th wedding anniversary at his house. No not his anniversary, but you have to admit 60 years of doing anything with the same person is quite an achievement. To honor that milestone Greg threw a dinner party for the happy couple. It’s Hass season in California so Greg’s seven course menu included a luscious soup made from California Avocados and not much else. It’s a marvel of taste and texture made with just three main ingredients. It’s easy to make and should be a feature of your next dinner party.

Andy can make something out of nothing. But you knew that. Despite The Table Set’s anti-green-beer-stance, Andy and Nathan joined forces to bring a real-life celebrity a St. Paddy’s day dinner to remember.  We can’t say much more (this is Hollywood after all). But we can say vintage Massimo Vignelli plates from Heller made a showing at this special St. Patrick’s Day Where’s The Party. Some of the plates were green, but the way Andy matched the plates to the food is, well… all Andy. Nathan brought the booze and the party was a sensation. After all they served Lucky (Lucky?) Charms.

Of course no matter the holiday, there is always the question of what to wear where…

Nathan and Andy always seem to know the answer. From bow-ties to spittin’ spats, they’re a dapper duo. But Greg struggles. Are the 80s hip again? REALLY? Greg thought he burned that whole era to cinders. But Nathan seems to like something from Greg’s closet. So you just might just see Greg’s purple Bird of Paradise shirt make an appearance at yet another party.

Bright colors mean just one thing this time of year. Eggs. Easter Eggs. Greg likes his marbleized. It was his mother’s way of saving those less than pretty orbs. It’s an easy process you can do at home. It’s just oil and vinegar. Two opposing forces that come together to make the prettiest eggs you can imagine.

But Nathan knows what his eggs should wear where. And a vintage print from an old necktie is the answer. His sister has an unbelievable process of transplanting patterns from vintage neck wear onto the surface of an egg. You won’t believe it until you see it. So here’s the proof.

But what exactly does the word vintage bring to mind when you are talking to The Table Set? Why Betty’s Box of course, and by that we mean Betty Crocker and her box of recipes. Betty’s Box is a frequent guest. In this segment the guys draw inspiration from Betty, just to see if there are modern interpretations of her mid-century, low-brow classics. This week the theme is Easter. What would Betty do for Easter? Nathan goes first and draws ham. Pink and pretty. Betty’s is a ham steak, ringed with pineapple– canned of course. But the guys agree, ham is an Easter classic and something they should be able to work with.

Andy draws a Baked Alaska sort of pie with colorful Easter eggs buried inside. It’s hard to explain, so you’ll just have to listen. There are more colorful orbs in the recipe Greg pulls from the box. Sherbet balls to be exact. They’re served in a punch and all three gents agree– no matter the party a punch is perfect.

But molded salads are a bit more difficult to digest– at least intellectually. Nathan draws a card featuring a Jell-O of sorts. It’s filled with carrot and pineapple and it shaped like a horse (or a hippo or a T-Rex) we think. In any case Greg remembers a grade school lunch-line version. It may not have featured the dried American cheese shards that bring Andy and Nathan such joy, but Greg remembers that this particular Jell-O bounced.

Certainly there has to be more to a grown up Easter party than bouncing Jell-O. So Nathan pulls out a book from Bompas & Parr. They are a couple of British “jelly” artists whose book “The Jelly Mongers” may just change the way you look at Jell-O, or “jelly” if you live on their side of the pond.

Which reminds Nathan of an adults only Easter he longs to attend again. The eggs were stuffed with treats for those of us of legal age. Whatever that means. These parties are epic. The host does the Bunny Hop. The guests just get hopped up!

Last Easter the guys got together. Andy made an epic meal. The Feast of the Many Easter Fishes… oh and deviled eggs. The best deviled eggs of all– proclaimed Greg. Which brings us to this Easter. Just what will these boys do? Perhaps they’ll brunchify it, making it a hipster holiday to remember. Stay tuned and see. Happy Hipster Easter!

You  might remember the last time I cleaned out my pantry…it was in a different house!

Now that we’ve lived in our new old house for almost a year (holy crap!) it’s time for me to evaluate my space.  I’ve contracted the Spring Cleaning Bug and I’m really into organizing lately (thank God!) so I decided to go through my pantry yesterday and purge/organize. On a side note, I think it’s important to live with your space for awhile when you first move in and see how you use it. Then regroup!

Let’s look at the before.

This is a high traffic closet. We’re opening it up CONSTANTLY in my house. And since it’s been quite untidy for the past few months, it really freaks me out when someone else leaves it open (COUGH COUGH COOPER).

I started sorting the shelves. This time I decided to do one shelf at a time. I thought I’d be too overwhelmed with pulling it out at once. It made it waaaaaay more manageable.

More sorting…and emptying jars…

I ended up going through all of the food and tossing what expired. It’s good to go through your pantry every few months to see what you need to get rid of/need to add. I like to do a BIG sort twice a year and then every few months straighten things up.

Let’s talk about some sections, shall we?

Top row contains all my specialty flours & things I don’t need as often. Because the top shelf is high up and has a lot of head room, I decided to put big bottles (like oil & white vinegar up there)

Shelf below contains all of my potions!

I decided to break things up into sections.

Vinegars & Oils to the left… and Asian & Mexican ingredients in the middle.

Condiments like Mustard, Cookie Butter & Peanut Butter…

And to the right we have sweeteners! Honey…Molasses…etc.

The section below this one contains all my sugar/flour and baking needs.

I have my vanilla & chocolate section.

I labeled some of my glass jars. This is my grain/rice/bean section.

I did tidying up on the row below…sorting like with like.

To the right I have rice/grains/beans in glass jars.

Nuts/Dried Fruits/Crackers & Snacks below….

Another look…

The GRAND AFTER!!!!!

Let’s hope I keep it this tidy for months to come! Wish me luck.

It isn’t often that someone tells you they have a craving for tofu, but this week, Greg had just such a craving.  Specifically for the Korean specialty Soontofu.

To satisfy this craving, the gentlemen decided to take a field trip to the Los Angeles neighborhood of Korea Town to meet Joy the Baker for lunch at a Soontofu house called “So Kong Dong.”

A hot bowl with silky soft tofu topped with meat (and/or seafood and/or dumplings and/or mushrooms) and boiling hot spicy broth.  The diners then crack a raw egg into their bowl and watch it cook into the bubbling broth before their eyes.  With rice and a lovely assortment of banchan, it was quite the feast.

This may have satisfied Greg’s tofu craving, but not for long.  So he decided to to call on his friend Rachel of the blog La Fuji Mama to come talk tofu and share some of her fresh, homemade tofu with us.

Wait, do you think we are still talking crazy?  Tofu = delicious?!?  Don’t tune out yet!  Tofu has had quite an image problem in the west.  Let’s blame it on the 70s… and vegetarians.  Ever heard of that book “Diet for a Small Planet”?  No?  Good.  Then you probably haven’t heard of “Future Food” either, a book that tries to sell you on something called “Science Soy Bread.”

Or if you’re like the vegetarian Nathan of the past, you’re making bad tofu stir-fry (but good tofu stir-fry is possible, like Andy’s steamed tofu with black bean sauce, cashews and green beans, or Greg makes Caramel Cooked Tofu).

But if you stop thinking of tofu as a meat replacement and avoid calling it “bean curd” you’ll come to realize that it’s a great food all on it’s own.  Especially when it’s made fresh from scratch.

That’s right, Rachel makes tofu from scratch.  It’s not as hard as you’d think.  There are only three ingredients: water, soy beans and a coagulant.  She shows you how on her blog.  It turns out it’s not just a “flavorless sponge.”

In addition to the tofu, she also brought along some delicious condiments- specifically ones from Bourbon Barrel Foods: bourbon barrel brewed soy sauce and bourbon barrel smoked black pepper! Whoa was that some delicious soy sauce. We learned that just like tofu, not all soy sauce is created equal.

The Japanese name for chilled tofu with toppings is hiya-yakko. Here pictured is a version that Rachel made for a party at Greg’s house and a version from Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco that Andy had. You can be sure that they are both delicious!

What else can one do with tofu?  Why scrambles of course!  Andy likes to make “Tofu Chilaquiles” and Rachel tells us of a fabulous tofu scramble featuring bitter melon from the book Asian Tofu by Andrea Nguyen.

You can also make chocolate pudding out of tofu.  Rachel even makes a cheesecake with tofu that has a sponge cake crust.  Say wha?!?

If you’re looking for more tofu tips and tricks, look no further than The Book of Tofu, or as Rachel calls it, The Tofu Bible.

And speaking of books, Andy found a great Vintage Volume while browsing the overfilled shelves of a Hollywood bookshop.  Taro and the Tofu sells the romance of tofu in Japan through this cool illustrated children’s book!  Want to mail us a Vintage Volume?  Contact us on the homefries contact page or on twitter.

Craving  more talk about Japanese food from Rachel?  Check out her podcast Miso Hungry.

Tsh is back after knee surgery, so it’s time for another episode! This time she’s talking again to Kat from Inspired to Action.

Surgery went well. Tsh’s new best friend is an ice cooler.

Kat’s current best friend is her tennis partner, the wall in her backyard.

She also loves her husband’s FitDesk:

Her family is WAY in to March Madness.

A few years ago they filmed their kids’ highly thoughtful bracket selections. ADORABLE.

Tsh grew up around UT football and the Atlanta Braves.

Kat’s got a new site—How They Blog! Sounds awesome.

Don’t forget this valuable lesson:

Jackson’s got a pinstripe suit for the upcoming nuptials of Q and U:

And a Spring Break road trip…

Where on the west coast should Tsh’s family go? Got any ideas?

Are you in to March Madness? Did you grow up around sports, and does that affect whether you’re into them now? And have you ever done the insanity of Disney during Spring Break?

It’s that time again!  Time for another ridiculous episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast!  This week we’re talking about Facebook etiquette!  How do you properly cancel a friend date?  Facebook messaging is not the answer.

We go down the rabbit hole discussing Facebook pet peeves and  Real Simple weighs in.

We also discuss what to do when friendships fizzle, and how to not eat cheese at a party.

The podcast UHHYEAHDUDE is one of our favorites.  Podcast co-host Seth doesn’t have an email address or smart phone.  He’s the one that should probably be telling us about Facebook etiquette.

We wanted to know where you listen to the Joy the Baker Podcast from and we were BLOWN AWAY by your response!!!  Finland!?  Iceland!  Estonia!!?  You amaze us and we’re so stoked that you’re on this journey with us.  Thank you!

Happy Birthday to the one, the only, the best podcast listener of all time:  JOE FRIEDMAN!  We hope you enjoy this 88th podcast on your 88th birthday!

Thank you for listening!  We’ll be back next week with another episode!

Welcome to episode #87 of the Joy the Baker podcast! This week we get real and talk… about thinking about HAVING KIDS.

Tracy’s not sure if she wants to add more to her brood. Joy’s been reading up on What to Expect When You’re Expecting for DECADES. She still is figuring out what to expect. Tracy tells her to expect things to not look like how you imagined them. Life! Parenting! REAL.

Other books that Joy’s been reading include:

Grace Based Parenting
The Ministry of Motherhood

Tracy is currently reading Raising Your Spirited Child.

Preston! HEY! You’re looking for some great Gluten-Free websites

You should start with Gluten Free Girl, With Style & Grace and Against-the-Grain.

YES!, Barbara. You totally can make baked goods healthier!

Joy made a Chocolate Beet Cake with Beet Cream Cheese Frosting.

Health food? Maybe.

Black Bean Brownies are still mega chocolate-y!

Tracy’s got an Orange Walnut Cake recipe that’s made with Olive Oil & ground walnuts. OMEGA-3, BABY.

Serve it with some Greek yogurt. Boom.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast! Let us know where you’re listening from. We’re hoping someone says Iceland.

LMFAO, RTOFL, TTFN,….you know the usual.

Last week on the podcast, Joy & I talked briefly about managing our email inboxes. I’m at a point where it’s getting out of control and I need to take ACTION. We received quite a few comments/emails  from our listeners with suggestions on how to manage email. It was SUPER helpful, so thank you!

In the next few weeks I plan to streamline  my inbox(es). I currently have 5 different email addresses- One hotmail, one gmail, some old one from years ago and two that belong to my website.  I use the ones associated with my website constantly and the other three I have for what I consider “junk” mail. The problem with the junkmail accounts is that they are FILLED with daily emails from newsletters I subscribed to A LONG TIME AGO. Real talk: My hotmail account has 20k emails and they’re all pure crap. I call that email the BLACK HOLE.  It doesn’t stress or overwhelm me because it’s not an address that I normally use. I just feel a tremendous amount of shame for letting it go and getting to that ridiculous number.

So I’m ready to power up and TACKLE.

MY OBJECTIVE:

-clean out my junk inboxes/unsubscribe to as many newsletters as possible (this may take awhile)

-create folders in my inbox and sort emails (one of our listeners suggested sorting emails into boxes based on ACTION). I like this idea because sometimes flagging something isn’t enough for me remember to take action. And sometimes I don’t need something until later so it would be helpful to have a folder for archiving. I hope to have the following FOLDERS:

INBOX: A place for sorting (ideally, this area should be cleared out CONSTANTLY)

ARCHIVE: A place for storing information I need to reference at a later date.

ACTION: Emails that require follow-up (once finished, they will either be trashed or moved to ARCHIVE)

RECEIPTS: I’ll put anything tax-related/blog related into this folder

I was contemplating merging all of my emails account into Gmail and having that as a hub for my email addresses. Do you do this? Is it worth it? I was thinking it would be a good option for someone like me who doesn’t always use the same computer to write/read emails.

I suspect this is going to take A LONG TIME, but I know that once I have a better way to manage this, email might not get out of hand. In the process I would like to work on managing my contact list. The amount of information I have scattered on different devices is frightening. I need to get it merges & centralized!

If you have any tips/tricks you’d like to share before I go FULL FORCE with the email purge, please let me know! I can’t wait to get my inbox down to ZERO!

It’s podcast time!  Let’s talk about St. Patrick’s Day re-stylings.  Let’s talk about how crazy our email situations are.  Let’s talk about hipster boys who buy sides of beef and intimidate us in the kitchen.  Also… let’s talk about Tracy humble bragging about body odor.

You know… the usual.

Tracy made Nigella’s Chocolate Guinness Cake .  Looks incredible!!

I guess we need to talk about deodorant.  Tracy smells like a Koala Bear with Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant.  Joy… doesn’t smell like baby powder.  So, yea.

The book Tracy and I should have written:  The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags.

Get in that kitchen with that boy who buys hella meats!  Get your BRAISE on. Pulled Pork sandwiches are where it’s at! You no longer have to feel intimidated cooking meat in front of a dude.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast!  Should you have any suggestions for natural beauty products or email inbox solutions, we’d love to read your comments below!

Big love to you!

It’s time to podcast with Lisa Leonard! Such a fun, creative friend.

She’s got a new line of jewelry—Hope(full), a fair-trade line made by women in Ecuador.

Hooray for fair-trade! Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Fair-trade is tricky, isn’t it? Here’s a link Tsh found on Pinterest:

Lisa’s good at being daring with her clothes—and then taking pics of herself.

Or, when her son takes her pics. Either way, it’s GORGEOUS stuff.

Tsh and Lisa both love traveling with kids, especially internationally.

Tsh wrote some tips on how to travel with little ones. Also here.

She also wrote an open letter to first-time mamas of newborns, and she recommend’s Megan Tietz’s book:

Phew… Parenting can be heavy. But it’s also so totally fun. Kids—we love ‘em.

Ignore the boy with no pants.

Where are your favorite places to shop for clothes? Do you have guilt about your kids not being in afterschool activities… or do you kinda like it? Let us know!

It’s no secret. The Table Set loves beer.
Often replacing wine paired with a meal, mixed in a cocktail (Campari & IPA, anyone?), or baked into a cake, beer always has a place at this table. With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, what better time to indulge in a full-blown beer fest.

Andy recently traveled home to Michigan in the dead of winter, naturally ice cream & taco pairings resulted. Corona sorbet? It happened. Behold ¡Taco Tuesday!:

With a rapidly growing rate of craft breweries and pubs in the United States, heading straight to the source for top quality brew is easier than ever. No matter where you live, a short car ride should lead you to delightfully hoppy results. And it just so happens one of the boys’ favorite beer makers is only a short car trip from LA in Redlands, CA – Hangar 24 Brewery. Who better to bring along on the trek? Why Jackie “the Beeroness“, of course!

Housed in an actual repurposed airplane hangar on the edge of the Redlands airstrip, the Hangar 24 brewery and tasting room look out to sweeping runway vistas, parked prop planes, and snow-capped mountains. Not too shabby digs.

Hangar 24 has quite the arsenal of diverse brews, lead by their flagship beer Orange Wheat, made with fresh produce from the orange groves surrounding the airport. Coming up on its five year anniversary, the brewery has big plans for expansion (“micro” no more), already with impressive achievements under its belt. This past year Hangar 24 became the first Southern California craft brewery to release an eco-friendly alternative to bottles of its Helles Lager and Orange Wheat beer with new 12-ounce cans. The brewery is also working on designs to protect the agricultural and historical treasure trove of orange groves in Redlands from bulldozing housing developments.

But how does the beer taste? Well, as Jackie and the boys sampled ALL of the brews on tap… Aces! Nathan loved how the Orange Wheat was like sipping a fresh [beer] mimosa in the sun; Andy prefers the tropical pop of the oddly refreshing Double IPA; Greg enjoyed the crisp California Spring Beer seasonal offering; And Jackie is a Chocolate Porter kind of gal, all the way.
But don’t just take this gang’s word for it – With growing distribution, keep your eyes peeled. Hangar 24′s beers may just pop up in your hometown before you know it.

A flight of good beer in the sun sure can make one hungry. Back at the table, Jackie spilled about writing her very first cooking with beer cookbook. As she has proven with her blog, beer is a versatile player in the kitchen. Warm beer tortillas? OK! IPA Ceviche?? Hell yeah! “The Dirty Girlscout” chocolate mint stout ice cream beer float??? You go, girl!
And if you’re wondering what to cook up to drown with Guinness this St. Patty’s Day, try these Beer Brined Corned Beef Sliders with Pickled Cabbage Slaw or a Mushroom Stout and Goat Cheese Pot Pie. Wowza.

Andy is no novice to beer production, already having made three spirited home brews – Labyrinth Porter, Fraggle Bock, and Fleetwood Blac!

Other Table Set beer picks? On the heels of our Winter Warmer and Raclette episodes, Nathan’s been drinking Hangar 24′s seasonal release coincidentally called Winter Warmer, a subtle ale brewed with local spruce tips, cinnamon and maple syrup. Andy is into Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour, but can’t help but mention his love not only for Maui Brewing Company‘s Mana Wheat and Coconut Porter, but for their blessed union in the form of a Maui Black and Tan! One of Jackie’s favorite stouts of late is Beachwood Brewery‘s System of a Stout, an Imperial Armenian Coffee Stout dosed with traditional Armenian coffee, cardamom, molasses, and brandy. For an easy drinking low-ABV LA local beer, Jackie suggests Eagle Rock Brewery’s Solidarity. Which reminds Andy of Solitude, an Abbey Style Ale from Brewery Vivant – A brewery housed in a turn of the century funeral home in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a pub in the old chapel. Sold!

What’s next?! Nathan is ready to get back into the car and head to the Bruery in Orange County. But Greg would rather order in for a fun old fashioned family KEGGER. Could it be? Stayed tuned to find out!

We got mail! Thanks Kate for the inspiring read. Our Hot Pot appreciates the fodder.
“Because it’s not just food, it’s a happening!”

Hello friends!  Welcome to another podcast in podcastland!  Joy and Tracy are getting girly and talking about their beauty routines.  Gentlemen… we’re sorry, but we kinda just need to talk about eye cream and mascara for a bit.  We’re also answering your questions about curly hair, boyfriend phone calls, and cooking for the French.

Here’s some of the beauty goods we talked about on the show!

 Whoa!  Eye cream is expensive.  Ask for samples at the make-up counter.  La Mer is the fanciest of fancy.  You might need photo ID.  Weird.

Good, shiny, flexible hold hair spray from Rusk.

Baking soda is totally a rad facial product!  It’s cheap.  Thank heavens.  Petit Elefant has some great tips.

Extreme Party Mascara by Bobbi Brown.  It’s dramatic… in a really good way.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins – Tracy doesn’t go to bed without putting this stuff on. Joy likes the word Night-A-Mins. Who doesn’t?!

Philosophy – Eye Hope Multitasking Eye Cream 

As in…EYE HOPE this stuff works. Tracy’s using this right now and will have results for you in a decade.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

Dry oil! Yes! It’s multi-purpose and smells divine.

NARS Illuminator Super Orgasm

How awkward that you can actually buy an Orgasm…

Bobbi Brown Bobbi Brown Corrector – Bisque

Tracy’s protection against dark eye circles.

Korres Wild Rose Brightening Flawless Finish Compact Powder 

A compact powder that’s SQUARE (this pleases Tracy) although having a square sponge is weird.

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette – Beethoven

This is the I-palette that Tracy dropped on the floor after day 2.

St. Ives, Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub, 6oz

This stuff works! That’s why Tracy has used it since hypercolor was invented.

Are you cooking for a clan of Frenchies right before your wedding celebration!?  Awesome!  Major congratulations.  How about some Flat Roasted Chicken  or Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken?  Yum.  Good luck!!

Maybe spray tans make you look like a dirty child.  True.

Emily Freeman and Tsh have a fun guest today—their friend Holley Gerth!

Holley’s written a number of books. Her latest comes out Friday! You can order You’re Made For a God-Sized Dream on Amazon. You won’t regret it.

Holley also wrote a super-fun and helpful e-book earlier this year called The Do What You Can Plan:

Holley also loves the books Daring Greatly by Brene Brown and The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin.

Her partner in crime is Stephanie Bryant!

Jennifer Lawrence was brilliant at the Oscars, both during and after:

Don’t forget to take time to notice the pink trees, dear friends and listeners…

And Matthew. Oh, Matthew. Just… yeah. We can’t say anything more.

At what age do you think kids should get their own phones? What did you think of the Oscars? And how have you coped with Downton Abbey’s finale?

After spending a week away from home on a MUCH needed vacation, I came home feeling refreshed and ready to start anew.  I also felt a bit worried about falling back into our chaotic routine. It was really nice to have a break from the day-to-day because I was able to evaluate what aspects I missed and figure out a few habits/behaviors I want to change around the house.

In my Organizing Goals for 2013, I wanted to figure out how to change/pinpoint bad habits that contribute to our home mess. Having some distance from my routine really helped me figure out what I want to change, so here we go!

-One of the main reasons why things get chaotic and unkempt around the house is the fact that we are all doing too many things at once. I am super guilty of this behavior. As someone who takes on too many things at once (including making multiple recipes in the kitchen at a time!) I feel like most of the time the tornado that I make in the process of doing something isn’t worth the hassle. I also have a 4 year old who adds additional mess to the situation, but that’s not something that I can entirely control.

I think it would help if I reminded myself that I need to SLOW DOWN and BE MINDFUL of my actions. If I slow down, I am less likely to make more of a mess and I won’t spill things as often.  If an action takes a few seconds (like putting away my clothes or putting back a pair of scissors after I’ve used it) I should just DO IT. Because when I have a whole bunch of little things that pile up, it overwhelms me and I feel paralyzed. Plus it’s not rewarding to clean up a bunch of little things. It never ends!

-The weeks go by so fast and I never feel like I have enough time to do all of the things I accomplish. It’s frustrating! Spending a lot of time without reliable internet connection on our vacation made me realize that I waste a lot of time messing around on my phone. I know that my whole family could benefit from me being away from the computer/phone more often. If I have my head in too many places at once, I get stressed. I am guilty of getting short tempered with my son if he’s interrupting me while I’m reading an important email on my phone.  The fact is, if I am around him most of what happens on the internet/computer SHOULD WAIT.

How do I combat this? Set boundaries for myself. My phone and computer usage could be off limits during certain times of day. One of the first things I do is look at my phone when I wake up and then I get sucked in the zone of Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Shutterbean checking. And once I start doing that I keep getting worked up. It can actually alter my mood.  I’ve been testing the waters and ditching my phone while I get ready for work and it’s already helping my productivity. I hope that in the future, I can increase my time away from the phone/computer. Perhaps spending on weekend day unplugged might do the trick? Maybe I could do what Shauna does and not check my phone/email/computer until after I drop Cooper off at preschool. I think it would take a lot of effort, but it could prove to be rewarding.

And with that said, if I have more time to get things done (in a productive/uninterrupted manner) I could actually get ahead of my schedule and do things ahead of time so I’ll be able to build in more relaxing/creative time for myself & family. Perhaps setting timers on my phone so I can go a period of time without using it will help? We’ll see!

-I have a lot of stuff. The problem with having a lot of stuff means that I have to MANAGE a lot of stuff.  I’m constantly trying to manage things, some items get lost in the shuffle. This means I end up buying a lot of things that I already have. It is EXTREMELY annoying to find out that I already have agave syrup when I just bought more? I went through a period of time thinking I didn’t have dish soap and ended up buying three separate containers to find out that I had a few tucked deep in the back of my kitchen cabinet.

I could benefit greatly from setting out time and going through all of our cabinets and getting rid of things I need/don’t need. If I have a designated spot for items, I would be able to glance at the space where I keep q-tips and know that I need more q-tips. In a perfect world, this would be easy. Am I too much of a micro-manager? I dunno.

The fact is, I have to be on top of getting rid of unnecessary items in my house. If I don’t buy new/unnecessary things, I’ll be happier because it means that I have less to manage and we’ll save money. It’s a win/win situation.

-For a long time I used to do laundry one day a week. I really thought that was the right way to do it. Turns out it doesn’t really work for me. When my mom suggested that I do a laundry multiple times a week, I thought she was crazy. It seemed like I would be doing nothing but laundry. Turns out that processing one load of a laundry a night makes it REALLY easy to stay on top of laundry. This one little change has made such a difference!

I am sure there are other ways I can help streamline our day/routine. I always appreciate finding new ways of seeing things and shaking up my routine.

In the next year, I hope to simplify, be more mindful and find new ways of operating that will help my productivity/sanity. It’s going to take a lot of patience and perseverance but I know it will be worth it!

Have you made any big discoveries yourself recently? Are there any shortcuts you’ve found that made a HUGE impact on your sanity? I’d love to hear!

Is it winter where you are? Need a little break from the snow? Well, you’ll love this episode (or maybe hate it, if you’re pessimistic), because Aimée Wimbush-Bourque of Simple Bites gives the low-down on her recent two-week vacation to Mexico.

Waves crashing. Margaritas. Paletas. Sigh.

To see a bazillion more gorgeous pics, check out Aimée’s Instagram feed.

She recently wrote about her tips for traveling to Mexico with kids.

And last year, Tsh wrote her tips for traveling internationally with kids, too. Totally worth it. Every time.

This is Tsh’s current view—it’s almost as good as Mexico:

Moving on past the leg brace at least. Progress, people. Progress.

Where would you love to go with your family?

Hello friends!  We’re back with another podcast for you!  Sorry we were away last week.  We missed you most sincerely.  This wee we’re talking about blazers, Easter egg hunts that Tracy would like to turn naughty, and what to do if you don’t like your best friend’s boyfriend.

Last week Joy was in New Orleans.  This week Tracy is in Mexico!  We can’t seem to sit still.  We’re hoping Tracy comes home as a professional margarita drinker.

Donde esta el estacionamiento?

Tracy is really into Old Navy bathing suits!  Take in a little sun!  Go on.

Gone Girl is totally awesome vacation reading.  It’s a page turner for sure.

Have you every wondered about our themesong?  Michael had this song made for us detailing all of our weirdo inside jokes.  You can read all the lyrics here.

Also… if you think we should relive the Ghost experience, you can listen to the episode here:  Like the movie Ghost.

Once Michael gets talking about cat puns, there’s really no stopping the meows… it all started with Apocalypse Meow.

Thanks so much for listening to another podcast!  We love that you’re here!

You can always reach out to us in email: contact at homefries dot com, or call us!  (817) 82-fries.  We’re also on Twitter @homeries.

Love to you!

Tsh and Myquillyn talk ski accidents, craft days, Pinterest, boys leaving the nest, traveling around the world, and blogs going 2.0. So you know, they pretty much stay on topic.

Tsh somersaulted down a black diamond slope and (possibly) tore her ACL. Good times.

Meanwhile, Myquillyn had a lovely little Craft Day with high school girls.

Love this idea!

Myquillyn also likes to repin things she’s tried on her Pin There, Done That board.

Tsh recommends the blog Pinstrosity.

She also loves reading about location-independent families. Stephanie Langford is one such recent convert—amazing.

A few others are Soul Travelers 3, Discover Share Inspire, Globetrotting Family, and Vagabond Family.

Would you travel around the world with your kids? How do you use Pinterest? And do you leave the house in yoga pants?

Love is in the air.
But while the Table Set boys are all slightly curmudgeon-y about the commercial construction of Vday (listen to last year’s Pink Paper Hearts episode), who doesn’t like the idea of staying in and getting cozy with loved ones? Yes, Winter Warmer is carrying over this week. Light that fire. Chill the wine. Warm the cheese(?). Yes, siree.

Andy has been obsessed with the idea of a raclette party ever since it first came up on the show. So keeping with tradition, The Table Set called on their favorite valentines for a double date rematch again this year: The Because Show. Yes, these ladies know how to party; When Andy added that it was to be a pajama party, their response was “bras or not?” Plus Amy brought her mom!

Of course no party would be complete without effervescent Arica, the brilliant artist responsible for the uncanny capture of The Table Set’s likeness, above. Was she happy about raclette? You bet!

Nothing sets the scene for romance and sexy haiku writing like a roaring fireplace and The Little Gay Record Player. The latter was also responsible for a sneak attack of Rick Astley. Amy was so inspired, she wrote a haiku about it:

                                                      A tiny sparrow
                                           Sings like a big black raven
                                                  Rock on, ginger bird!

While Andy melted the brick of cheese in the flames, the pajama-clad masses patiently sipped bubbly and snacked on Spanish chorizo, roasted root vegetables, and cornichons, awaiting their turn to partake in the melty delight that IS raclette.

Of course another promise was kept – Yep, Greg made it. Dilled. Torsk. And it was delicious! The group got rosy cheeks not only from the fire and the wine, but also from shots of Bols Genever. Kopstoot!

As promised – the group bed shot. This happened. Big love!

An overly-chatty [drunk?] Nathan proposed some other ideas for an alternative Vday. Tiki -his favorite- is great for parties of two. One Volcano Bowl, two straws! Done. This year’s release of My Bloody Valentine ale from Alesmith comes just in time for a pairing of the most romantic horror flick ever, by the same name (but do yourself a favor and skip the remake – 1981 is where it’s at). Also, serendipitously, the iconic noise-love band My Bloody Valentine just released their first album in 21 years! No question what kind of pink noise to fill your background with this year.

But if shoegaze isn’t your thing, let the tender lover The Little Gay Record Player serenade you with his sweet sweet vintage tunes.

Haikus. Where you at? Share some haiku love with us, about Rick Astley or otherwise, in the comments below. C’mon, it’s fun!

This week’s podcast is LIVE FROM NOLA. Wait. It’s not live, but Joy is LIVELY in NOLA.

This is Tracy writing, excuse the puns.

Joy is hoarding beads in NOLA. You don’t have to flash anybody for beads,

Being Joy the Baker is enough. GO MAJ, GO!

What are we doing for Valentine’s Day? Is Joy going to be drinking Bourbon in Bourbon-town? Most likely.

Will Tracy & Casey exchange cards meant to make the other person laugh? You best believe.

If you’re looking for Valentine’s Day inspiration, look no further!

Tracy wants in on this Chocolate & Peanut Butter Pudding action for Valentine’s Day.

How about you make this tasty salad. Goat cheese in shape of hearts? Color me impressed.

Goat Cheese Heart Salad

Need to justify buying a doughnut pan? Let Tracy help you make that decision.

Banana Doughnuts with Peanut Butter Frosting? TWIST MY ARM.

Dark Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Toasted Coconut?! Guess who just bought a doughnut pan. YOU!

You could also enjoy all of these doughnuts too. They’re BAKED.

House of Cards. Do you watch it? Does Tracy sleep through it? No and Yes?

Michael thinks it’s a slow burn and he’s obsessed.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for your comments/emails/questions.

Email us your questions at contact at homefries dot com

We appreciate it when you call us too. Real voice interaction is RAD.

To call, leave a voicemail at 817-82-fries.

Don’t worry, IT GETS BETTER!

Tsh and Kat are back at it! Tsh is over the flu now, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still miss Texas. Kat loves her Texas 70-degree winters, but wouldn’t mind a day of Tsh’s snow-covered Oregon. Grass is greener…

Kat’s kids’ school uses Sign-Up Genius. Tsh wishes her kids’ school did. (They need to get a little message from this site…)

What’s up with school auctions? Kat didn’t fork over the four digits for this bad boy:

Game ideas—here are Tsh and Kyle’s favorites:

• Bananagrams
• Phase 10
• In A Pickle

…and, Tsh thought she had more ideas, but she’s coming up empty.

Grow Trips: what a fabulous idea, Sarah!

Here are some non-blog conferences Kat suggests:

• Mom Heart
• Project Mom

And Tsh tapped her fellow (in)courage writers, and they gave her all these ideas:

• Be Present
• Becoming
• Camp Mighty
• Creating Keepsakes
• Donna Downey Studios
• Jumping Tandem
• MOPS Convention
• Serendipity

Let us know if you end up going somewhere!

Tsh loves McMenamins, and wants to take her own solo retreat at Old St. Francis School.

Kat recently had a Menu Planning Boot Camp on her blog, and she LOVES Plan to Eat. (Tsh does, too, but she needs to spend more time making it work.)

And that comedian Tsh couldn’t remember? It’s Tim Hawkins. He’s hilarious. Especially on Facebook.

Alright, so what are your ideas for mom Grow Trips? Any meal planning tips? And are games on Date Night lame?

Before we moved into our new/old house there were already a few drawers in the family room allocated for toys.These drawers house my nieces old toys and some of Cooper’s toys that my parents saved for when he visited.  So when we unpacked, we all just threw Cooper’s toys in there without any rhyme or reason. I knew that one day I’d clean out/organize them and that day came a few weeks ago!  We’re on week 3 of organized drawers and it’s going really well so far!

Let’s look at the before:

Drawers from the side. There are two of them.

It was just a THROW IT IN and PRAY IT FITS situation.

I started removing stuff from the drawers. There were things in there from my childhood!

I had a few piles for sorting:

STUFF THAT GOES UPSTAIRS

STUFF THAT GETS DONATED

STUFF THAT DEFINITELY DOESN’T BELONG IN HERE

BOOKS

ROGUE TOYS, ETC.

I also went through the toys and donated the ones Cooper doesn’t play with anymore. That’s liberating!

These crayons are from my childhood. There were SO many random things in that bin.

Old lip gloss, staples, glitter, broken pencils, YOU NAME IT. It traveled to Sort-town.

The crayons are now in a container that has a lid!

I also sorted all of Cooper’s art supplies and put it in a portable basket so we can grab them all out when we want to do an art project!

His art supplies, puzzles & board games are in this one cabinet next to the drawers.

And after about an hour of sorting, the drawers looked like this:

I used old boxes/tupperware to separate some of the toys.

And in the other drawer I separated things in bins.

LEGOS / ACTION HEROES / CARS

I’ve found that when I give Cooper some guidelines of where things go, he keeps with it!

Hallelujah.

It’s baby time! In this episode Tsh and Hayley talk about the newborn days and what it’s like to bring a new baby in the family with older siblings. There may or may not also be a few baby sounds in the background.

FOUR BOYS! Hayley deserves a medal. Or at least a night out.

She loves her new rock-n-play:

And her boys love drawing on their bunk beds:

Dutch boys give labor a try. E for effort, boys—we’re impressed. (Though two hours with no pushing… I dunno.)

Hayley’s been working hard on the Influence Network. Lots of cool classes!

Tsh is still in her writing cave, but it’s almost. done. Next week, the book writing will be over and it’ll have been turned in. Hallelujah.

Got any questions you’d like to hear answered in the podcast? We’d love your feedback!

Oh man.  We really do it this time.  We say too much.  Waayy too much.

On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast Joy and Tracy discuss a new social media app for the iPhone.  It’s called Vine… and Joy thinks it’s mostly a nightmare.  Tracy thinks Vine is mostly a tool for sharing funny television clips.  Spot on.

Joy and Tracy also discuss long distance relationships as they pertain to Africa, and they discuss the relevance of sexy phone talk in the 90′s.

All will be revealed… and so many movies will be renamed in cat terms.

Thank you for listening…

 Let’s talk about Vine.  It’s super time consuming and somewhat annoying.  Acceptable Vine videos include Cooper saying Gerard Depardieu and Arrested Development clips.

Maybe we’ll be eating our words on Vine in a few months.  Maybe.

Say you find yourself in a long distance relationship across the continent of Africa.  What do you do to keep the spark alive?  A book club or sexy phone calls?  Consider David Sedaris reading 50 Shades of Grey  (NSFW).

Want to talk about long distance relationships across Africa.  Of course!  Totally normal.  You might consider a mini book club to stay connected or… some sexy phone talk?  No… it’s not the 90′s.

Food magazines?  We’ve got suggestions.

Food & Wine
Every Day with Rachael Ray
Bon Appetit 
Donna Hay Magazine
Kinfolk Magazine

Joy, Tracy, and Michael made so much fun of group text messages that they got caught up in their own.

This is the cat picture that started it all.

 Out of control.

Do you have any clever thoughts?

For the best juice, you do need a juicer.  BUT!  If you have a blender, welcome to smoothietown!!

GREEN ENERGY SHAKE!!

Really though… who cares about juice when you ca get fancy rollers?

Tracy saved her pennies for YEARS to buy the Caruso Molecular Steam Hairsetter.  Ummm was it only 35 bucks?

Thank you for listening!

Email us your questions at contact at homefries dot com

Call us and leave a voicemail at 817-82-fries.  We love to hear from you!

Big love to you and extra big love to Michael’s dad Joe!

Is winter coming or is it going? That depends on where you live. This week the guys try to sort it all out. From warm grogs to hot pots, “what’s hot and what’s not”?

Even their parties this week are reflective of the chill in the air. Greg’s been traveling to Seattle for a cool-weather-get-away that covered all the hot spots in town. He’s been drinking with the cool kids at Poppy, Sun Liquor, Artusi, Canon and The Zig Zag Cafe because there’s more than one way to chill in Seattle. Nathan’s been back to Disney Land. It’s one destination that transcends the weather and warms every kid’s heart. Even kids Nathan’s age. Because whether it’s hot (or it’s not) running with Tinkerbell is a family affair with the Hazard clan. So is Trader Sam’s where it’s fun to celebrate winter tiki with a Shrunken Zombi Head.

It’s Andy who really knows how to generate some heat this chilly post holiday season. How about a high-brow-low-brow Christmas Tree bonfire (with Korean barbecue), right on the beach. The dried branches ignite within seconds and make a scorchingly bright light show, that just might catch the attention of the Coast Guard. Whether it’s legal or not just might depend on the weather. Because what’s Hot and what’s Cold can be subjective. Just listen as Andy tries to answer that question, straddling his time between sunny Los Angeles and snowy Michigan.

But the Hot Pot has all the answers, or at least provides the questions. Dip your hand in and grab a piece of paper. That’s how the game works. This week the guys reach in and try to answer the question– what’s hot and what’s not? It’s complicated.

There might be some disagreement about Cher, but one thing all three guys can agree on is that warm winter drinks with an alcoholic kick make winter a wonderland. Greg’s whipped up a little something with chamomile tea and genever he calls a Warm Cardigan. While Andy experiments with getting the butter into a chai-laced hot rum drink– for a not so classic Hot Buttered Rum, Andy style. While the kettle’s on the guys taste that version and try the same idea with apple brandy. Both versions score points, and Greg thinks the brandy version reminds him of the original nighttime sniffling sneezing coughing aching stuffy head fever so you can rest medicine. The Hot Toddy.

But Nathan’s a modern man and so are his cocktail creations. Inspired by the bar 1886 in Pasadena and his own experiments with winter tiki, Nathan’s created a Hot Grog to sip by the fire. It’s very “apres ski” in the “Shaggiest” sense of the word. Certain to warm your winter.

Warm winters aren’t just a southern California tradition. The French have their own way of keeping the chill at bay. It involves la grole, an communal drinking vessel designed to keep hot drinks hot. Ensuring a certain intimacy between imbibers. The lid has spouts, making it look like a very adult sippy cup (but not really as you’ll burn your lips). The Scandinavian’s have their own tradition for keeping warm by the bar. It involves genever, an old style Holland gin (that’s not “really” gin). The bartender fills the cordial glass all the way to the very brim. Rather than spill a drop lifting the glass from the bar, the drinker is expected to lean down and slurp the first sip right off  the top of the glass. The genever is then chased with beer. This little tradition is known as kopstoot, or “headbutt”.

Now that you’ve had a drink with the guys, aren’t you feeling hungry? There’s still cheesy raclette in the works, so stay tuned. But the weather calls for braising. Andy’s been braising lamb shanks– it’s great method for many cuts of meat. The concept behind braising is this: the main ingredient is seared, or browned in fat. It is then simmered in liquid on low-heat in a covered pot for a very long time. Cooking the meat low and slow for a lengthy time breaks down the tough connective tissue in meat. Through time, the moisture and heat build, and the collagen (which is what makes the meat “tough”) dissolves into gelatin. The gelatin moves into the sauce and works as a slight thickening agent making the sauce smooth and velvety. The key to success is time. Because as soon as the meat cooks through, its fibers begin to expel moisture. Thereby causing the meat to become dry and less flavorful. If you were to pull the meat out of the pan at this point you would be disappointed with the results. But if you give the meat even more cooking time, these fibers relax and absorb the melted fat as well as the flavorful broth. This process is called osmosis. The long and short of it is that everything re-hydrates and becomes very tender with an amazing flavor.  So come on, you can do this. It works with vegetables too. Greg likes fennel and Andy’s wants to braise red leeks until they get as soft as butter. Try it.

Endive makes for a classic braise. Greg remembers his mother’s version (oh so similar to Julia Child’s). But say “chicory” to Nathan and his mind turns to coffee and Cafe du Monde in New Orleans.

Let’s face it. Nobody knows winter like the Norwegians. They drink a botanical flavored liquor known as aquavit. It’s really starting to catch on in North America too. Maybe it’s time you tried some. It’s better than freezing to death, right?

We’ve really hit our stride on our 81st episode!  We’re in it to win it!

On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast Joy and Tracy discuss microwave onion flu cures, long distance relationships, counter-top ovens, and early in-laws.  We also say ‘hot-bod’ three more times than you’d probably like to hear.  For that we’re eternally regretful… yet, unable to stop ourselves.

A KitchenAid Convection Countertop Oven can get you back to full cookie-making capacity in no time.  Also… imagine all the cookies you can make in your bedroom.  So many!     Should you want to learn the quirks of your old oven, start with an oven thermometer.

Crock-Pots will save your life, newlyweds! 

Also, grill some sausage and vegetables.  Make dinner simple!

Maybe this is the SOFT BLAZE!! At Old Navy you could wear under your winter sleeping bag coat??

Joy and Tracy are the wrong people to ask about two coat wearing.

Throw a blazer under that joint!

We thank you for listening to another podcast!  We hope you’re happy, healthy, warm, and blazing!  Put an onion in your ear!

A few years ago I started organizing the Cooper’s first year’s worth of clothes and then stopped.  I guess I lost steam or I put my attention other places? Maybe I just wasn’t ready to deal with the emotions of putting my baby’s clothes away. Yeah, that’s it. I also needed to sort through the clothes we borrowed from my sister-in-law and separate ours. I always figured that would take awhile…

I’ve been storing his clothes in garbage bags…

When we moved, we put all of these garbage bags filled with Cooper’s clothes in the garage. They’ve  been staring me in the face everyday when I come in from the car. It’s time to do something with them!

They were labeled so…we’re kinda close to organizing, right?

First things first. Get plastic bins & sort. I bought a bunch of 66QT. Sterilite bins at Target for this project.

I want to tell you one small/big mistake I see when people organize. They don’t take the sticker off of the plastic bins. WHY NOT?

TAKE IT OFF. And if you have a problem with taking off stickers, Goo Gone is your friend cuz it’s my  friend and we can share friends.

Taking off the sticker seals the deal. You’re on your way to organizing nirvana!

I went through and sorted all of the clothes.

Sorting in progress…

Turns out that some of the clothes were in the wrong bag. Good thing I went through and looked at all of the tags.

We could have been missing out on some prime clothes cuz they were in the wrong bin!

Here I am organizing. I decided to lay all of the t-shirts flat and roll them up to fit in the tupperware. I decided not to individually fold all of the clothes because chances are if we have another kid, or if someone gets gifted all of these clothes, they’ll wash them beforehand to freshen them up. The clothes are already clean…but you know what I’m saying.

It saved room and TIME. Time is important. Time is what prevents me from doing things.

I had a little helper who kept telling me “I LOVED THIS SHIRT! Look! It’s my favorite shoes!”

Also…he is wearing the hat that he would never let me keep on his head. WHY IS HE MESSING WITH ME LIKE THIS?!

To finish off my project, I printed out little signs to put on the insides of all of the bins.

They just slip right in when the bins are full. You don’t have to tape them. I printed out two labels for each bin so we can see what stage clothes they’re for when they’re stacked. I can’t tell you how good this feels.

I already have a bin in Cooper’s closet labeled 4T. I’m already getting a head start on organizing! s Now it’s time to introduce these bins to the ones waiting downstairs. Newborn to 3T is DONE.

MY KID’S CLOTHES ARE ORGANIZED!!  Finally.

Time to chat with Emily Freeman again! She just finished writing her book and is knee-deep in editing.

Tsh is knee-deep in writing. Two weeks and counting till her deadline.

Tsh and Emily talk about a lot of their faves. Here’s some of the blog posts they reference:

Don Miller :: How my faith has changed since “Blue Like Jazz”

Jon Acuff :: Two words the world needs and 10 things writing my 4th book taught me

They also talk about synesthesia, Emily’s awesome “condition” where letters and numbers have colors. And sometimes music. She’s weird, but in a very cool way.

Check out this woman, however—she sees and tastes music and words. Hopefully food, too:

And here’s some books they’re digging:

Kate Morton’s books
Real Church by Larry Crabb
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Drive by Daniel Pink
The Icarus Deception, Seth Godin

And their favorite TED Talks:

Schools Kills Creativity and Bring on the Learning Revolution by Sir Ken Robinson
Your Elusive Creative Genius by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Puzzle of Motivation by Daniel Pink

Tsh missed this at the Golden Globes:

But she did see this about the sound production of Les Misérables:

What do you think of the Les Mes movie? Are you (or do you love) a synesthete? What’s your favorite TED Talk? Tell us in the comments?

We have loads to talk about on this, the 80th episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast.

Let’s talk about accidents (not of the potty variety)… because we all have them.  Let’s cry over spilled milk.  We’re worth it.

We’re also going to take some of your hard-hitting questions about breakups, family travel, low-carb ruts, and what the heck to do with your life.  It’s a big old world and we’re here to help.

We love that you take the time to write in with questions.  Thank you for taking the time to share your business with us.  We especially enjoy when you use fake names that reference the television show Arrested Development.

We don’t have a ton of links for you this episode.  Mostly we just talked about how to break up with a live-in partner (yiiikes), how to work from home (put your bra on!), and how much cheese you should put on your roasted broccoli (a lot).

Thanks for listening!  We hope your January is going along swimmingly!

Tweet us @homefries!

2012. What a year! This week the guys recount the high points from their joint epicurean adventures and look forward into a hopefully equally hedonistic 2013.

Of course most recently on the holiday episode, the boys planned their grandiose Feast of the Seven Fishes holiday dinner party, inviting four of their favorite cooks to participate making for one unforgettable and utterly festive night. Alaska Seafood graciously provided top-quality sustainable ingredients for many of the dishes, and everyone’s imagination was cranked up to 11. Check out this video rundown, or read more about the full menu here.

Decemeber is always a mad dash toward the holidays, but The Table Set and Joy the Baker set a night aside for surf n’ turf, Flaskhattans, and some serious cards. Poker Night – done right – may be another new tradition ’round here…

During his seasonal cocktail experimentation, on Tgives Nathan whipped up a new fave, the Tart in Tartan. Equal parts smoky, sweet, and tart, with a vinegar complexity from the cranberry shrub, it is one intriguing fireside sipper.

Going back, Nathan lovingly recalls a summer morning with the guys started in South Pasadena at Fair Oaks Pharmacy with a fat banana split and chocolate egg cream soda. Ice cream breakfast, what could be better?? It was research for the soda fountain episode, sure, but also a dangerously delicious precedent.

Of course the crème de la crème event of 2012 was the surprisingly epic Table Set Garden Party. Equal parts colorful, delicious, raucous, lush, shocking, unifying, sweet, and blurry… it left satisfaction in its wake (and for Nathan a case of the spins).

A large and exciting bit of Andy’s culinary year (besides making that CRAZY Space Mountain cake above) involved his recurring role moonlighting on the Nerdist podcast Dining with Doug and Karen, most recently cooking up a vegan feast for the eminent Sarah Silverman.

Andy recalls the inspiration for our Poker Night Flaskhattans, from his exhaustive Seattle foie-binge chased with an Old Fashioned in a chilled flask. Super fly. He also brings us back to the notable party of one episode with his rejuvenating solo New Year’s hike to the Hollywood Sign.

So 2013. What’s in store?
It’s agreed that TIKI is coming back for more this year…
Greg is already feeling pangs in his heart for another Valentine’s Day extravaganza…
Nathan seems pretty serious about this Twin Peaks TV Party…
And Andy is determined to actually make DILLED TORSK…

What would you like to see us to cover this year?

Most importantly, thank you for listening and giving The Table Set the excuse to do what we do. Here’s to another ridiculously fabulous year! Cin-cin!

Hooray—we’re back to podcasting! We took a nice, long break for the holidays, but it feels so good to be back to a routine. But Megan doesn’t have long until her routine goes up in the air—she’s 31 weeks pregnant with twins!

She looks perfect in every way. Go mama!

Her younger daughter is pretty excited—here’s her picture with Serious Daddy:

Tsh is still trucking along in Oregon, where she most definitely had a white Christmas. She’s gonna have a white January, February, March, and maybe April, too.

Crazy. At least snow is pretty. But it does cause a unique parenting challenge for a good chunk of the year:

Megan’s digging the site Project Nursery.

Slow blogging—Erin said it best.

We’re talking personality and Myers-Briggs AGAIN. Because it’s just so fascinating! Here’s Tsh (and Myquillyn, too):

And here’s Megan:

Have you taken the test? If not, here’s a good basic online Myers-Briggs test.

Two books we’ve never read but we hear are good—MotherStyles and Nurture the Nature. Have you read them? Tell us what you think!

And what’s your personality type? Does it affect your parenting, work, and other relationships? Tell in the comments below!

Happy New Year, friends!  We’re back with a new podcast for your life!  On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast, Joy and Tracy discuss habits, new and old.  What habits are they trying to cultivate?  What habits are they trying to break?  Why doesn’t everyone just eat a cookie at 3pm everyday?  They’re also taking your questions!  Can a single girl be friends with a married man? Hm….. let’s discuss.

As always— we love ASTROLOGY ZONE. It’s the year of the Snake & Geminis are totally into their finances right now.

Photo by Kevin Winter – © 2012 Getty Images – Image courtesy gettyimages.com

Joy is in awe of his petit mouth.  Hot dog?

Tracy & Michael are currently reading The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

It’s a game changer. Replace bad habits with good habits! Let’s analyze things.
Habits: How They Form and How To Break Them—  Listen to Fresh Air on NPR  with the author, Charles Duhigg.

Joy is reading The Age of Miracles.  It’s a great read.

Spicy Zucchini Frittata. Brunch time awesomeness!

Killer Granola. Make parfaits! Make it gluten free!

MOCKTAIL for Brunch!  Check out Tracy’s Honey Rosemary Lemonade

If you’re in need of awesome brunch-friendly bakeries in West Los Angeles, Clementine and Huckleberry will make you happy indeed.

Dipped Rice Krispie Treats for teenagers!  Ps.  Stay in school.

Thank you for listening to another podcast!  We love that you listen and support us!

Should you have any questions tweet us @homefries, call us at (817) 82-fries, or email us at contact at homefries dot com.

xoxxo!

I’m baaaaaaaaaaack. December was a doozy. Things were so hectic with planning/entertaining that it barely left room for me to keep myself organized. December literally took the life out of me. For real. I am really not sure how I managed to breathe, but I now know that I will take on less obligations in December. The first few days of the New Year were spent getting my house back to normal. It’s pretty crazy how much better I felt once I purged all of the holiday leftovers & cleaned out my fridge! REFRESHING! I hope you’re starting the new year right!

Anyways. I am happy to be here and I am happy you’re here. I have missed you.

I want to set a course of action for this year. I had a list last year, but we when we moved, a majority of those items became irrelevant. We’re still settling into our new/old house. Things are starting to take shape and we have ideas of what we want to do. With that said, let’s talk about my goals!

-finally organize Cooper’s old clothes (seriously lagging on this one)

-do a master purge of unnecessary items in our house/craigslist stuff

-change/pinpoint bad habits that contribute to our home mess

-manage my calendar efficiently

-clean out/manage my computer files

-purge art supplies & organize what’s left

-finish the bar cabinet by adding more shelving

-find a better system to organize my photography props

-create a system for organizing Cooper’s toys

-clean out/ organize the garage

-clean out the room that stores all of my parent’s items

-set up a laundry station

-make a master list of all of the home improvement projects we plan to tackle this year

-go through the kitchen & evaluate the use of each cabinet/purge/organize

-organize the inside of Cooper’s bathroom cabinet

That’s what I have so far. I am pretty sure there will be more items to add. I can’t wait to tackle this this year.

Just a side note- I’ll be posting every other Wednesday this year.

2013, LET’S DO THIS!!!

It’s the end of 2012!  Really!?  A full year of podcasting nonsense in the bank!?

On this episode of the Joy the Baker podcast, we learn things:  Tracy has a crazy brain, Joy might need a brain scan, resolutions are daunting, and a 19 year age gap in the dating world can make you question your fiber intake.

It’s a journey.  Join us.

Garfield Minus Garfield.  It’s an existential mind game.

Fact:  Tracy’s brother Ryan has really amazing green eyes.

Fact:  Tracy’s brother Ryan wears glasses.

Opinion:  Joy thinks that Tracy’s brother Ryan’s glasses hide his amazing green eyes from the world.

Fact:  Ryan should share his green eyes with the world.

Fact:  Ryan should get new glasses and stop sending Joy pictures of his middle finger.

End.

Joy’s first cookbook came out this year, and she went on book tour.  You know… no biggie.  (Aaaahhhhhh!!!)

Tracy took this picture after the book signing in San Francisco.  Joy’s dad is skiing in the background.

Joy finally went to Europe!!!  2012 took her to London.  It was so so gin-tastic.

Tracy has an entire photo diary of her year:  My Everyday Life.

Cooper.  He’s just too good.

What’s that!?  You want to throw a New Year’s Eve party!?  Take it easy… for real.

Tracy suggests Profiteroles!

Joy likes these Prosciutto Dijon Gruyere Puffs.

But really… just buy some doughnuts and fried chicken… and make a fancy cocktail punch.

We hope you have the most wonderful New Year!  Thank you for spending part of your 2012 with us.  We love you, sincerely!  Happy New Year from all Joy, Tracy, and Michael!

From Classic Swiss Fondue to something a bit edgier like Farmhouse Cheddar and Irish Stout Fondue with New Potatoes Greg likes to call his melted cheese fondue. He fondly remembers fondue parties of his youth. Though Nathan found the wine in his mother’s version a bit too much for his young palate. My how things change! Speaking of fondue. The guys decide to pull out the hot pot this week and see what Betty Crocker might do with a fondue. It seems Betty liked to fondue in a global way.

It’s time for podcasting with Myquillyn! You might know her better as The Nester… She’s fabulous.

She and Tsh laugh a lot. That might be because they’re both INTJs, like this fun guy:

People love us at parties.

Look at what you find when you Google INTJ:

You gotta order the official test or take it with a counselor, but here’s a basic online version, if you’re curious.

It’s that time of year again—Tour of Homes! You can add your link at the bottom of Myquillyn’s post—we wanna see your houses. Here’s some of hers:

And here’s some of Tsh’s:

Here’s more of her house.

We also like to bake with our kids. Myquillyn tried—and loved—marshmallows with one of her boys:

They look and sound amaaaaazing—here’s the recipe.

Here’s granny fudge:

And super-easy toffee:

Lisa Jo is lovely. She reminds us that our house is only as big as our hospitality.

And if you’re curious, here’s our crazy big microphones:

How are you dealing with talking to the kids about Sandy Hook? Do you have any holiday recipes that you like to make with your kids? And are you a believer in the Myers-Briggs test?

Welcome to another Joy the Baker Podcast.  We’re glad you’re here and we’re sorry we’re so stressed out!

On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast, we discuss holiday stress and how we deal.  Mostly we’re just eating everything in sight…. but that’s ok, because January is diet month, right!?  This can’t be healthy.  We’ll also discuss how to be stress-free as a party host (gin), and how to secretly take pictures of your favorite produce dude at Whole Foods.  He’s really nice.  Wait… is this weird?

Tracy is eating flatbread like it’s going out of style.

Have a few cookies while your toast is toasting.  Totally normal / CRY FOR HELP!

Joy The Baker Book Tour and French Laundry Visit from HomeFries on Vimeo.

Oh…. hey, Tucker Taylor.  No big deal.

Tucker Taylor’s Whole Foods doppelganger.  Joy is a total creep, but really it’s all in the name of friendship.

Thank you for listening to another podcast!

We hope you have the most wonderful holiday!  We’ll be back next week to talk about our resolutions for the new year.  Love you major!!

Tsh is having a good day. Except that she stepped on a Lego. So this episode’s co-host, Kat from Inspired to Action, reminds her that Tim Hawkins swears LEGO on the floor are used to ward off terrorists.

Craving the bubbly without a full-on soda? Tsh swears by their beloved soda stream.

She also encourages Kat to try an amaretto sour—maybe that’ll be her alcoholic drink of choice. Doesn’t taste too much like fermented apple juice.

Goes well while memorizing the Classical Conversations history timeline. Or reading Truth in the Tinsel.

How do you interpret the weather?

No matter, it’s HARD to find motivation to work out in cold weather. Tsh loves the Ease into 5K app.

Darcy’s doing an awesome job keeping us inspired. An awesome goal for racing: DON’T FINISH LAST.

Don’t forget where life begins.

Here are Tsh’s three Christmas playlists for the year.

And right now, Kat’s digging the Amy Grant, Leigh Nash, and Austin Stone Christmas music, along with All Sons & Daughters and Gungor. She’ll even hang out with the youngins and sit on a trash can at a concert.

So how about you: What’s your threshold of too cold to send your kids outside? How do you stay motivated to work out during the winter? And do you have a cocktail recommendation for Kat? Tell us in the comments below!

Shine bright like a diamond!  We made you another podcast!  This week Joy and Tracy discuss gift-giving… and they’re basically up a creek without a paddle.  Good thing there are mason jars and infused vodkas.  First, however… Tracy needs to talk about her awesomely creepy painter and Joy has to talk about her obsession with Rihanna.

Song we’re over:

Fun. – Some Nights

Song we’re obsessed with:

Joy, Tracy, and producer Michael started group texting… now they’re kinda hooked.

It’s mostly just a group text about Grumpy Cat…

If you’re not into Grumpy Cat… inform yourself here.

Tracy has some great 40 married year old man gift ideas!  Fire starter… twisted fire starter.

Light My Fire Original Swedish FireSteel Army 12,000 Strike Fire Starter

Michael chimes in with his geek brain.  ThinkGeek!

Pineapple Gin Punch!

Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cake is totally gluten-free!

We’re in FOODIE CRUSH this month! YAY

Thank you for listening to the podcast!  We hope your days are great and your nights have chocolate and cocktails in them!

Thanks for showing us your Minted cards!  We heart you major!

Andy’s got a party idea.  An idea that was birthed from a weird place: from watching the movie Parents!

Yes, a weird comedy-horror film from the 80s about cannibalism inspired Andy to throw a retro-chic poker night.  Nathan isn’t on board initially and Greg unfortunately sold off his poker table, but Andy manages to get everyone together for an honest to goodness poker night.

There is even video footage to prove it!

Yet again the gents attempt to seek ideas from Betty Crocker’s catologue of culinary wisdom, but “Men’s Favorites” turns out to be a bust!

So Andy opts instead to make classic Surf ‘n’ Turf instead.

And Greg whips up some decadent potato snacks: sweet potato skins stuffed with chorizo and bacon brittle.

A perfect colorful match for Greg’s “Exotic Swirl” vintage playing cards.

Poker night is the perfect time to pull out your classic cocktail repitroir.  Nathan goes real old school and makes Rob Roys with blended scotch.

The only way to make these concoctions cooler?  Funnel them into pre-chilled flasks.  Pre-chilled, pre-filled!  Now that’s living poker night right.

With all the scotch and masculinty floating around, Andy can almost smell the cigar smoke.  But not at this poker night!  We’ll keep it classy with the bubble pipe instead.

Drinking, pretend smoking and… gambling?  What’s the fun in playing for cash when you can play for a fabulous prize pack?  Have each guest bring a small token prize and then winner takes all.  Andy’s roommate ended up taking the pot that had everything from cheese, to booze to a shiny new red toaster!

Poker isn’t the only game on the table.  Nathan introduces us to a Trivial Pursuit-style game called “Foodie Fight,” where the trivia is, you guessed it, food themed!

What game night would be complete without a soundtrack.  This week the Little Gay Record Player is spinning out some good ol’ “R-B Oldies.”

Hello, friends!  Thanks for tuning into another action-packed Joy the Baker Podcast! This week we’re tackling more hard-hitting modern etiquette issues.  We’re talking about RSVPing, visiting houses with a ‘no shoe policy’, and text messaging dos and don’ts.

This podcast is sponsored by MINTED!  It’s the last week for an awesome deal with them!  $25 off + free shipping on orders $150 and over. You can see the change now: www.minted.com/joythebaker

Have you made a Minted card?  Joy’s are going for full drool effect.

Tracy went for the specialty fonts and adorable child!

LOVE!

Dip your toe in RUM waters with a Dark & Stormy.

Citrus & Vodka HEAVEN with this Juice of a Few Flowers!

You might also try fancy Luxardo cherries.  Dreams!

 This is how Tracy works out!  With technology and a sassy haircut.  Joy goes for situps and dumbbells.

Thanks for listening!  We love you sincerely!

Time for another podcast! This time Tsh is joined by cohost Hayley Morgan of The Tiny Twig. Who’s probably not so tiny as usual… she’s due any day with NUMBER 4. Her fourth BOY. The woman is a saint. (And who are we kidding? She’s totally still tiny.)

We moms are weird about our identity—whether we’re a mom of boys, whether or not we homeschool… Why are we like that? Let’s just be. Sound good? Awesome.

To combat the testosterone overload, Hayley painted her office pink:

And it’s not Pepto pink, it’s blush. Or bashful. Whatever it is, it’s not the color from Steel Magnolias.

Both Tsh and Hayley love the parenting book Love and Logic:

And Hayley loves the book Simplicity Parenting:

Did you know there are blogs totally dedicated to Disneyland and Disneyworld? It’s true. It’s insane. Here are some:

• Disney Living
• Meltdown-Free Disney
• Disney Daddy
• Disney Diva
• The Affordable Mouse

Tsh and Kyle took the kids to Disneyland Paris (she was pregnant with their youngest, Finn) a few years ago:

…but they want to do it again when the time is right. What do you think—is there a magical Disney age?

And Parenthood. Oh, Parenthood, how you slay us so. Just once we’d like to watch without stuff coming out of our eyes and noses.

We chase it with a heavy shot of Modern Family. Phil, you slay us, too—in a different way.

And what about Downton Abbey? Turns out the official arrival date in the U.S. is January 6, 2013! While we wait, we can play with these paper dolls:

And finally, Hayley’s tree:

And Tsh’s tree:

So tell us—do you have a color-coordinated Christmas tree, or do you hodge-podge it? And do you have Disney experience to share? Let us know in the comments!

Hello Hello!  It’s been awhile. Things have been super busy in my neck of the woods. HOLIDAYS!!! Ahh.

Here’s a small project that I worked on that made a HUGE impact on our life. When we first moved into our house, I put all of our liquor in the cabinet above our oven. It was fine for awhile and then I got frustrated because the cabinet is higher than eye level so it was hard for me to see what we had. I was pleased that everything fit, but I didn’t quite know what I had and how much booze was in each bottle. Also…the oven made my booze warm. NO LIKE.

I decided to turn this small/awkward corner closet in our dining room into our Bar Closet. I’ve wanted a bar cart for awhile but realized it would be super impractical with a kid in our household. I figured it would be good if our alcohol was not out in plan sight. I can mask my boozy ways if I have to. Hehe. So, let’s get started.

I cleaned it out and began!

Here’s the AFTER. As you can see, it’s now possible for me to know what I’ve got in our loot.

Casey asked me if I separated the alcohol by type. My answer is NO. I didn’t like the idea of bottles being different sizes in each section. As you can see I organized things by height. I did place my gin in the center of the bottom shelf because I can see it RIGHT AWAY. I think it’s visually pleasing this way. It appeals to my high straightenence tendencies.

The cool thing about having enough room for a bar closet it is this nice shelf dedicated to mixers!

I can easily see what I need to add when I need to go on a beverage run.

And there’s a little section I have for bitters, tools, garnishes & small bottles of alcohol I wanted to try but wasn’t ready to commit to a big bottle….

Now…what would you like to drink?

Thank you to our holiday Joy the Baker Podcast sponsor MINTED!

Minted loves you, dear podcast listener… and they want to continue giving you deals!  This week, when you spend $150 on your Minted holiday cards you get $25 off + free shipping!  How’s that for awesome!  www.minted.com/joythebaker.  Get on it!

Say hello to Minted on Twitter.  Spread the love!  @Minted

On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast Joy and Tracy discuss work holiday parties, elephants, gifting, and how to get pot-lucky.  This is real life!  Get into it!

Also, please enjoy this little gem from Jezebel.  Anthropologie:  Holiday Shopping For People You Hate

Joy loves this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.  Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms.

A baked pasta dish is totally the way to go!  This is Baked Orzo (again from Smitten Kitchen).  The eggplant and red peppers make it feel wintery and thoughtful.

Just the best Chocolate Bundt Cake EVER!

Tracy likes to bring some sort of fruit  salad to the sitch to a potluck. Imagine this one with pomegranates! Mind blowing!

Get your friends obsessed with this salad. It’s got Persimmons (seasonal!) goat cheese, butter lettuce & almonds!

Alyssa’s Thanksgiving diptic whoa!

Andy and the family getting ready!

Sarah’s turkey is done!

Diane’s Friendsgiving.

Amy knows how to live right with Apple Crisp and Tracy’s Bourbon Pumpkin Milkshakes!

Here’s Tracy’s feast!

Thank you for joining us for another podcast!  We sincerely love you!

The Table Set guys are hitting the road!

The bus headed north from LA on the 101, en route to the annual food-filled festival that brought the three together in the first place, Foodbuzz Blogger Fest in San Francisco. But why wait to party? This car made sure every mile was memorable.

Greg’s favorite part of the weekend was the festival’s gala reception in the aquatic depths of the California Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park. Fish overhead with a cocktail in hand is not a bad way to spend an evening.

Nathan’s highlight was on the way up to the bay, pulling off the road near San Luis Obispo to have waffle breakfast at the infamous Madonna Inn. Every guest room is intensely unique and decked to the nines. Andy was lucky enough to once stay in the popular Jungle Rock room. But a visit to the kitschy hotel lobby is adventure enough, where even restroom urinals demand attention (stand clear and watch for waterfalls).

Andy preferred the laid back vibe of California coastal town Cayucos, near picturesque Morro Bay, where the guys pit stopped for a snack on the drive home. Delicious smoked fish sandwiches and tacos, craft beer and golden afternoon light formed a nostalgia-making end to an epic trip.

Could a road trip be one of the Table Set’s best parties yet?  You bet!
So can yours with proper planning, an exploratory state of mind, and room for spontaneity.
Best advice? Start early, and stop a lot.

Starting too early of course can result in sleepy tourist towns. The boys pulled into foggy Solvang (the Danish town in the Santa Ynez Valley, made famous in Sideways), with hardly a fresh Danish in sight. But Nathan recalled a great meal at Root 246, Solvang’s finest modern eatery and wine bar.

Greg has many childhood road trip recollections, but most of them include Stuckey’s, the old-fashioned pecan candy stores peppering Southern roadways for weary travelers. Somehow he scored their famous Pecan Roll recipe…

For Andy, music stirs up the most memories. His family’s car sang along to Jospeh and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on long drives. For Greg it was Sonny & Cher. Nathan’s family had the Beatles.
Living in a modern world, the music options are limitless, which is why Andy’s road game of choice is Playlist Volley. You play by passing around a Spotify-abled smart phone and challenging passengers to pick a song fitting certain criteria to build a custom playlist. (Check out our playlist – built before we lost signal in the hills!)

But let’s get serious. Roadside eats. It ain’t always easy.
So the guys pooled their resources and favorite stops for a solid meal, sight, or Americana treasure on the road.
Behold…

1. Paseo – Seattle, WA

2. Columbian Cafe – Astoria, OR

3. Voodoo Doughnut – Portland, OR

4. Tillamook Cheese Factory – Tillamook, OR

5. McMenamins Hotel Oregon Rooftop Bar – McMinnville, OR

6. Mo’s Restaurant – Newport, OR

7. Marche/Marche Provisions – Eugene, OR

8. Gott’s Roadside – Napa, CA

9. The Buena Vista – San Francisco, CA

10. Humphrey Slocombe – San Francisco, CA

11. Garlic World – Gilroy, CA

12. Nepenthe – Big Sur, CA

13. Ruddell’s Smokehouse – Cayucos, CA

14. Copper Cafe at the Madonna Inn – San Luis Obispo, CA

15. Pea Soup Andersen’s – Buellton, CA

16. Cold Spring Tavern – Santa Barbara, CA (San Marcos Pass)

17. La Super-Rica Taqueria – Santa Barbara, CA

18. Reel Inn – Malibu, CA

19. Chili John’s – Burbank, CA

20. Fair Oaks Pharmacy – South Pasadena, CA

21. Yuca’s – Los Angeles, CA

22. Pike Restaurant & Bar – Long Beach, CA

23. Norte Mexican Food – Carlsbad, CA

24. Jaynes Gastropub – San Diego, CA

25. Cabazon Dinosaurs – Cabazon, CA

26. Shields Date Garden – Indio, CA

27. Laughing Horse Lodge – Big Fork, MT

28. Scotty’s Drive-In – Idaho Falls, ID

29. Idaho Potato Museum – Blackfoot, ID

30. Rocking V Cafe – Kanab, UT

31. Desert Bistro – Moab, UT

32. Four Corners – US Highway 160, CO

33. The Peppermill – Las Vegas, NV

34. Rock Springs Cafe – Black Canyon City, AZ

35. Sweet Republic – Scottsdale, AZ

36. Rebel BBQ – Blythe, CA

37. Hotel Congress Cup Cafe – Tucson, AZ

38. BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs – Tucson, AZ

39. Elvira’s – Tubac, AZ

40. Bisbee Breakfast Club – Bisbee, AZ

41. Euro Grill – Georgetown, CO

42. La Choza – Santa Fe, NM

43. Sparky’s – Hatch, NM

44. Corn Palace – Mitchell, SD

45. World’s Largest Ball of Twine – Cawker City, KS

46. The Blue Whale of Catoosa – Catoosa, OK

47. Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, TX

48. Magnolia Cafe – Austin, TX

49. Beer Can House – Houston, TX

50. Fleetwood Diner – Ann Arbor, MI

51. Longman & Eagle – Chicago, IL

52. Hot Doug’s – Chicago, IL

53. Kentucky Bourbon Trail – KY

54. Jacques-Imo’s – New Orleans, LA

55. Doc’s Seafood – Orange Beach, AL

56. Rock City – Lookout Mountain, GA

57. Waffle House – Avondale Estates, GA

58. Jimmy Carter Peanut – Plains, GA

59. Stuckey’s – Eastman, GA

60. Siesta Key Oyster Bar – Siesta Key, FL

Expand your options with an interactive map of landmarks on the Roadside America app.

Go forth. Gas up the car. Grab some Twizzlers.

Visit our National Parks.

See America first!

This podcast is sponsored by MINTED!  Minted is offering you an awesome deal!  Receive 10% off your holiday card order + free shipping!  Code: JOYBAKER10.  It’s an awesome deal and we all should share a high-five!

This week on the Joy the Baker podcast, we’re talking then (the mid 1990′s) and now (2012… like it or not!).  Who did Joy and Tracy have crushes on back then?  What silver foxes do they have crushes on now.

From Giovanni Ribisi and Jared Leto to Ryan Gosling and Mos Def.  Yes!

There was a lot of AOL chatting back in the day. Like… a lot.

TraceDog88 and SayLaVie33.  Ooohhh geez.  Why were we not friends back then!?  We were just a Blues Traveler chat room away.

It’s totally understandable that you’re thinking about holiday entertaining these days.

You’re going to need a cocktail or three.  Duh.  Rosemary Lime Cocktail from Joy.

Serve a French 75 at your party!  Thanks, Tracy!

Sometimes savory leaning treats are the best things at the dessert party.  How about Baked Brie Bites?

Cheddar Cheese Crackers are obsession worthy.  Real.

International travel is tricky.  Comfort is essential.  Fashion is also a big deal if there’s a sweet face you want to hug on the other end.  Joy and Tracy have wildly different ideas on travel fashion.  Joy likes luxury sweats and cashmere.  JCrew get it done!

Oooh geez.  Homemade Twinkie recipe!   Thanks for the tweet PeeWeeHerman!

Lastly… never forget.  Thank you Zach-y G.

Thank you for listening to our Thens and Nows!  We hope you have the most lovely Thanksgiving holiday!  We’d love to see your table spread!  Tweet us pictures @homefries, @joythebaker, and @shutterbean!  We LOVE you!

It’s almost Thanksgiving! In this episode, Tsh and Emily talk turkey. Well, not really—but they do chat about minivans, boot socks, and Friends. What’s not to be thankful for there?

Especially for minivan mustaches. Mustaches definitely make minivans cooler. Tsh’s doesn’t have one, but she does have congealed crayons in the cupholders. That’s something.

Emily and Tsh both write books, which is all kinds of crazy and still makes them feel like we’re playing grownups.

Emily’s books are Grace for the Good Girl (for women) and Graceful (for teenage girls). Her current book she’s writing is nicknamed The Art Book. It’s gonna be amazing. She frequently blogs about making art, too.

They both love Annie Downs.

A smart lady.

Emily was right—Mark Batterson wrote The Circle Maker after all.

Boot socks—they’re really a thing. But where do you get them? Apparently Amazon has them. And Target. Or, you can reuse an old pair of legwarmers and make your own, like Emily:

Or you could ask Angie Smith, who seems to know where to find all the great boot socks.

Avoid the Nazi pants look with skinny jeans. They don’t have to hurt—really! Tsh loves hers from H&M.

Thanksgiving is almost here—time for some of the best food ever! Pumpkin cheesecake, of course, but their favorite is stuffing. So is Ross’, in sandwich form:

Actually, it turns out a “moistmaker” is a piece of gravy-soaked bread in the middle of the sandwich (oops), but there’s still stuffing involved. Here’s a recipe, if you’re so inclined:

Don’t forget about making your own peppermint mocha. Red cup optional.

Did you know that Black Friday is actually Red Friday? According to Emily it is. Turns out she’s a synesthete, someone with synesthesia. What?!? We get to this at the very end of the episode, so apparently we’ll have to start with this on her next episode. Crazy cool.

We’re both crazy thankful for our families.

Have you found decent skinny jeans? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish? And do you think T is green, too?

This week is Thanksgiving and the guys are not talking turkey. Or at least they’re trying not to. Because you have to admit, turkey-mania sets in this time of year and sometimes it’s hard to get on board.

Of course, Thanksgiving and turkey go together like copy and paste. So turkey has a rightful place on your holiday plate. But come on, you can make a turkey without these guys. The basic turkey know-how (buying, defrosting, brining) is well-documented all over the web, just copy and paste. But the side dishes, that’s a whole other story. Everyone has their favorites of course. Glazed carrots, some sort of stuffing, oh and that unspeakable green bean casserole. So if it’s just not Thanksgiving without some of these staples by all means include them. But if you’re still struggling with your menu, Andy, Nathan and Greg are ready to discuss turning a few of those traditions upside-down.

What about buttered noodles? Really? Buttered noodles? Well it’s better than it sounds when Andy describes it, so you’ll just have to listen. Everyone agrees salads are a great way to get creative no matter the season or the holiday. Andy’s promising a star turn with a salad of Satsuma tangerines, arugula, almonds, pomegranate seeds (tired yet?) and avocado. It’s fresh and unexpected. It contrasts well with the heavier dishes on the buffet. Nathan’s decided that shredded Brussels Sprout and Persimmon Thanksgiving Salad is the only way to eat that little cruciferae. His combination makes a salad that’s as crunchy as it is colorful. Scoop some up and see for yourself. Speaking of salads, Nathan can’t make a bad vinaigrette, even if he does say so himself. A little of this and a little of that and he’s always happy. No recipe needed. But Greg likes to make a standard vinaigrette and add to it on a case by case basis. His recipe is easy to follow and can be endlessly varied.

What about something seemingly traditional, but different enough to raise a few eyebrows? Potatoes are a good example. Greg agrees that there should something potato-like on the menu. What about rutabaga? Rutabagas have a funny sounding, cartoonish name. The kind of name Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn or some other rascally Loony Tunes character might root-a-toot-toot about. Rutabagas are a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. They are sweet enough to take the place of yams and they have a very potato-like texture. They mash beautifully and are served often at Greg’s house as a Rutabaga Purée with Brown Butter & Mascarpone.

This year Greg is planning an elegant Thanksgiving meal served, not buffet style, but in small courses. One of those courses pairs potato with rutabaga in Onion-Topped Potato & Rutabaga Cakes, which he calls by the fun-to-say name of Neeps and Tattie Cakes. But if you want something a little more rustic, there’s also a sweet and spicy homefried version– an homage to this very podcast network. Rutabaga Homefries with Chilis, Mint & Maple.

Some Thanksgivings are utterly forgetful, or worse yet they’re disasters. From turkey on the sidewalk to a Cracker Barrel Thanksgiving served out of styrofoam to-go boxes. Not every holiday goes quite as planned. But strangely those are the very holidays we all remember the most. This year should be a memorable one at Nathan’s table because he’s developed a cocktail with a Thanksgiving palate. There’s no way you’ll forget this combination of Korbel brandy, cranberry syrup and walnut bitters, unless of course you drink way too many of them.

Cocktails have a wonderful place in every holiday tradition. Punch too. Nathan’s liquor cabinet is featuring brandy this year. With Nathan’s brandy in mind Greg is pushing a classic cocktail from the dark days of prohibition. Stingers have a retro vibe and they don’t have to be tacky. Their hint of mint make them work as either an aperitif or a palate cleanser. Can “brandy” cocktails be virgin? In Andy’s hands they can. How about smoky lapsang souchong tea with apple and hot cider spices? Other holiday choices include wine. It’s expected. But what about beer? Andy has chosen an Ale in the style of Belgium. GULDEN DRAAK Ale. It’s in a unique bottle and is a bit dark for a Belgian ale. It’s very food friendly. Greg likes beer too and thinks it can be quite elegant. He’s been looking at something from Rogue. Is that Nathan on the label?

But Nathan goes his own way. While looking for a beer to bring to the table he came across Unibroue Éphémère, a white ale brewed with apple must. It’s food friendly and got him thinking about hard apple cider. It seems perfect for the season. Clos Normand Brut is a French fermented cider that would be great with all the flavors of Thanksgiving, but Nathan chose Crispin, The Saint a natural hard apple cider for the guys to taste this week. Now if that’s not autumnal, nothing is.

But Greg lives in Los Angeles, where it’s rarely autumnal. Every Thanksgiving he struggles with what to wear. Can he wear an Hawaiian shirt with tweed?

That’s all for this week. But if you’re still hungry head over to the party at The Nerdist Podcast Network and listen to Andy as he cooks up brunch for dinner for a couple of real life comedians. Oh, and Andy’s pretty funny too. Dining with Doug & Karen #9.

This week’s podcast is sponsored by MINTED!  Minted has a special offer for Joy the Baker Podcast listeners!  Take 10% off and receive free shipping on your holiday card order between now and 11/21/12.  Promo code: JOYBAKER10   Get on it!   These are Joy’s cards from last year!

How’s your turkey game!  This week we’re we’re talking about Thanksgiving, and all the Parker House Rolls and organic turkeys that ensue.

Did you know that there’s such thing as a TURKEY CALCULATOR.  This thing must be exploding in popularity right now.

Parker House Rolls are among the many delicious things that could adorn your Thanksgiving table.

Image Credit:  J. Kenji Lopez-Alt via Serious Eats

Are you going to spatchcock your organic turkey!?  It sounds so wrong it’s got to be right.

HOW TO SPATCH COCK on Serious Eats

Let us give thanks!  It’s November and it’s the season of turkey, chardonnay, guacamole, and THANKS!  On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast, Joy and Tracy are kicking off the season of thanks.  They’re also answering your questions about Florida party schools, talking about how awesome librarians are, and teaching you how to flirt (badly).

It’s time to get into these Thanksgiving favors!  Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash & Cranberries from Tracy!

Pumpkin Bourbon Milkshakes.  Drink your pumpkin pie!!

Brussels Sprouts shredded into ribbons.  It’s salad!  Apple and Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts Salad.

A creamy no-bake pumpkin situation from Joy!  Almost No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie.

How do you flirt?  Um… let’s have Steve Harvey teach us a thing or two:   Act Like a Lady Think Like A Man.  Also, text message flirting is a totally exhausting and ridiculous game.  Yeesh.

We are thankful for you!  You are probably not thankful for our advice on flirting.

Do you have any tips on flirting??

Also… if you have any holiday season questions, leave us a comment.  We’ve got all sorts of answers and advice.

 Thank you for being here with us!

Tsh talks again with Megan of Sorta Crunchy, her southern friend who shares her penchant for queso and all the glorious food hailing from Austin. A lot’s happened with Megan since she was last on the podcast. For one:

Megan at 22 weeks with TWINS! Aren’t pregnant mamas gloriously beautiful? Lord, have mercy on her and that belleh. She’s got a ways to go still.

Her husband Kyle joked about having twins before they even knew there were two buns in that oven:

Megan shares her maternity fashion woes and has found salvation in maxi dresses. Begone, full-paneled elastic maternity jeans. And also? This seems to help:

It’s fancy.

Megan wrote a fantastic post about learning at home as public schoolers.

Tsh has learned to go with the flow when it comes to traveling with her brood of kids. Laura of Hollywood Housewife has some good packing and travel tips, too.

And a huge thing since Megan’s last podcast: she’s published a book! Written with Laura Oyer, Spirit-Led Parenting is one of the best, most gracious parenting books to come out in ages.

Megan asked her Facebook friends whether early November means time to whip out the Christmas music. She had no idea she opened Pandora’s Box. So. Many. Opinions. But it did prompt her to publish her own Christmas playlist.

We’re fans of She & Him, Sufjan Stevens, and the classic crooners. But who else? Tell us your favorite Christmas songs in the comments—we need ideas!

Used couches? Yay or nay? A hotspot for bedbugs or a easy way to be frugal?

Maybe both.

Amy will let our listeners know how she fares on her quest for a couch. And….

…how about using a stranger’s pillow? I say no. Just no. Please. Anyway, we talked about a lot of stuff on this episode including the awesome bestselling book I’m currently reading THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin. It’s great! And scary. The sequel comes out this month THE TWELVE. And did I mention how great Morrocoan Oil is for hair? I finally tried it (not just a treatment, but also a styling product!) and it def. gets two thumbs up.

Thanks for all our listener feedback lately, we love it! If you have an urge to call us, the number is 818-643-1565.

See you on the next episode! xxoo

This episode is a bit different from the usual fare—we’ve got Lisa Byrne of The Well-Grounded Life, and she and Tsh are talking BUSINESS. They both get asked all the time how they make money online, so in this episode, they spill (some of the) beans.

Lisa teaches e-courses and workshops, is a health coach, has a cookbook in conjunction with a workshop, and sells her wisdom and advice through each of these.

Tsh runs a six-site blog network and writes one of those blogs, writes books, and of course, has this podcast.

Two totally different methods, both on the Internet, both successful. Holla!

Some of Lisa’s favorite work tools:

• Instant Teleseminar
• Office Autopilot
• ScreenFlow
• Vimeo Pro
• WordPress

Some of Tsh’s favorite work tools:

• Canon 40D
• Canon 50mm lens
• Google Calendar
• Gmail
• Lightroom
• Picmonkey
• Photoshop (though she has the really old version, hence the Lightroom)
• Skype
• WordPress

If you’re interested in hearing more about the specifics of how Tsh monetizes her stuff, listen to her recent conversation with Darren Rowse of ProBlogger.

Starting soon this podcast is getting a little facelift, so get excited! Same conversations, same grownup time, slightly different look and feel. Be looking for it!

This week’s party is all wet as the guys talk seafood. Greg and Andy are longtime seafood lovers. Land-locked as a child of the Sonoran desert, it took a move to Portland, OR for Nathan to get on board and now that he’s there he’s trying to get his folks to join him. “Come on in Mom and Dad, the water’s fine!”.

Salmon. Scallops. Sushi and more. This week they’ve got something for the seafood lover in you. No it doesn’t include a trip to Red Lobster, you know these guys love lowbrow– but please, let’s get serious.

In fact Greg has just returned from a very highbrow fishing trip to Alaska with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). Greg learned that Alaska is a big, awe-inspiring place. From the majestic beauty of its land and sea, to the fish he caught and the salmon he observed swimming achingly upstream for the chance to spawn and die. Greg seems mighty impressed and shares some of those experiences both here and on his blog.

So listen as fisherman Greg tells a few fish tales from his Alaskan adventures. Yes, there’s puking. Someone always pukes. But mostly there’s a lot of really good Alaskan seafood.

Greg’s not the only one partying with the fishes this week. Andy made a trip to Seattle where he traveled to an historic island inn near Bellingham, WA to experience a most impressive meal. Salmon was served and Andy ate it up. This special place is called The Willows Inn and it’s where a young chef named Blaine Wetzel is wowing Pacific Northwesterners with his seasonally foraged and locally harvested creations. The menu changes monthly so these treats are best enjoyed straight from Andy’s mouth. So to speak.

Nathan’s party was at home in Arizona with his parents at their annual Tiki party. The festivities always include a whole roasted pig, and will certainly appeal to the land lubber in you. You can hear and see more about this party from earlier years by tuning in to the guys’ Tiki episode. Because right now Nathan wants to tell you all about his sushi epiphany. It came from the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi and if it can’t make you eat raw fish– nothing can.

Which brings us to the meat of the matter. Greg is convinced that people are afraid to cook fish at home. He swears it’s no more difficult than cooking potatoes. He’s serious. You can fry, bake, boil, broil or sauté both of them. Really it’s that simple.

But if you’re still afraid to cook fish at home. Well, there’s always oysters, you can eat em raw. They’re NOT like SNOT. In fact there’s an oyster for every palate.

What isn’t so simple is the entire issue of choosing seafood. Knowing where to buy the quality stuff, avoiding what Nathan calls “fishy garbage”, is hard enough. But according to the Los Angeles Times, DNA tests have shown that even the best restaurants and markets often mislabel their seafood. Meaning you might not always get what you pay for. And if that’s not worry enough, what about sustainability? It’s a touchy subject, and everyone is entitled to make their own decisions about what works best for them regarding the choices they make. But information is the best way to make the best choices. Seafood Watch has a download. But even that can be confusing according to Greg.Well all this is all very interesting– important even. But the guys, they just want to have fun. So they turn to the Hot Pot this week and fill it full of Betty Crocker recipe cards from the 1970s. Listen up as they pull all sorts of questionably fishy choices from the pot and try to make heads or tails of them from a modern cook’s perspective. Dilled Torsk anyone?

Though Dilled Torsk certainly gave these guys a good laugh. They want to leave you with something a bit more highbrow. So here is an adaptation of Julia Child’s Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise and a few of the recipes Greg did for his Fishing in Alaska series: Simple Pan-Fried Cod, Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops with Wilted Arugula, Corn, Shiitake Salad & Soy Ginger Vinaigrette, Grilled Halibut with Green Bean & Tomato Salad and Seared Salmon.

Hello! We got away from it all on this episode by heading 90 miles east of Los Angeles, over to beautiful Lake Arrowhead for the weekend.

And once we arrived at the cabin,  we made a S’MORES PIZZA! Yes, such a thing exists and it’s goooooood.  We didn’t make it from scratch, I must admit, it was a frozen Guy Fieri store-bought thing. So look for it in the freezer section of your local grocery!!

Then Saturday night we recorded a little episode for you. And then the next morning Susan woke up and made pancakes for everyone!

It is really beautiful up there. Lots of fresh air and tall trees!

Thanks for checking out The Because Show on Homefries. If you want to get in touch with us you can email us at thebecauseshow@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 818-643-1565. And of course you can find The Because Show on facebook where we have lively discussions throughout the week. Have you been to iTunes to write a review for our show? We would love it if could take a minute and leave one! Also, did you know we have 70 episodes from 2009 through 2011 on another spot on iTunes? You have to subscribe to our archive and listen to how we sounded when we first started recording three years ago! The last year has been super-fun here at Homefries, we have loved being a part of it!

Joy and Tracy are back and they’re stepping in where Google can’t.  They’re playing a rousing game of Google Auto-fill and are offering some simple answers to your deepest Google queries.  The answers are usually ‘NO!’ or ‘because you have boobs’.

Happy Halloween from Tracy the optical illusion!

So many good stripes.

Joy got stuck in Hurricane Sandy… which meant several days of emotional eating.

This Chicken Pot Pie never stood a chance.

It was a Cheese Hurricane.

Cheese and Pot Pie don’t make the best emergency kit.  Michael has some actual disaster preparedness suggestions here.

Now let’s play Google Auto Fill!

One Google Auto Fill question we stumbled upon:  Joy the Baker Half Black (?)

That one was subtly answered… here.

Thank you all for making lemon pound cakes for Tim and Veronica.  You light up the world.   Jill made a Gluten Free Lemon Cake for Tim and Veronica.  Gorgeous!

Hello! I’m baaaaaack.  The past few weeks have been somewhat chaotic so I haven’t had any major organizing projects in the works. We’re also still moving my parent’s stuff out of the house, so we can only do so much before we’re officially settled. I feel like once that happens, I can start making our master TO DO list which I hope to share with you.

I have been doing little things around the house though…hoping they all add up to something. I find that in moments of stress, it’s important for me to focus some energy on the little things that make me feel better—like straightening up. Having a cleared/organized space clears my head. But you already know this about me.

I was reading this article 33 Meticulous Cleaning Tricks for the OCD Person and #33 was that ANYTHING & EVERYTHING MUST HAVE A PLACE. There’s so much truth to that. Most of the stress I feel when I’m at home is caused by the chaos of things not being put back in their proper place. It’s also hard that a lot of things don’t have a designated spot still!

So let’s begin with me figuring out where to put my makeup FOR GOOD.

Remember when I organized my bathroom in our old house?  In the new house our master bathroom has a a pretty long counter with cabinets. This means we have drawers!  For awhile I refused to use the drawer on my side to put my makeup in. I put everything in my makeup bag that I’ve been using for years and kept it on the counter and then the drawer was filled with random stuff. Then I realized that having that makeup bag out adds clutter and that clutter adds to my stress level.

EXHIBIT A:

This is how I was keeping my drawer before the great ORGANIZE.  Yes…I have Carmex addiction. Shut it.

Now we have the AFTER!!!!!!!

I’ve been living with a makeup drawer for the past 3 weeks and not only have I kept it tidy, it’s helping me keep my bathroom counter clean. WIN!

Another view:

I made specific sections for my makeup. At first I really had to train myself to put things back but now it’s in my brain.

Hooray for muscle memory.

Life is manageable when things have their own place. Right?

Where’s the Party, witches??

Andy was a guest on the Dining With Doug and Karen podcast and cooked them up some krazy things (hint: “Jackalope Tacos” were definitely involved). Check it out!

Greg was a judge for KCRW’s annual Good Food Pie Contest. He had to eat 285 pies! No problem for this piaestro.

Nathan went to a picturesque hill-top wedding party on the grounds of a once-hopeful underground hobbit hotel… Yep! The scene and spooky soundtrack from Gorey-esque local LA band Dirt Bird felt almost more perfect for a winning Halloween party…

And boy did it creep up! It’s Halloween time again!

Last year’s spooky episode was chockfull of Count Chocula ice cream and moonshine, but the boys have plenty more tricks and treats up their sleeves.

TRICK your guests with campy favorites like [wiener] worms, [cauliflower] brains, [apple] lips with [almond] teeth, and [lychee] eyeballs!

TREAT with freshly roasted pumpkin seeds or classic goblin gorp. Andy likes to add jelly to his homemade peanut butter cups and tingly ghost pepper salt to salted caramels; Nathan wants to try making merengue bones and spicy-sweet pepita brittle with chili; And Greg’s making his own candy this year, including this old-fashioned recipe.

Truth be told, candy is dandy but liquor is quicker. So What’s in Nathan’s Liquor Cabinet?
Last year it was Strega (“witch” in Italian), which Nathan used to make the bewitching signature Witching Hour cocktail. This year he opted for approachability, utilizing the scariest spiced black rum on the market, The Kraken.

While entertaining, a big bowl of punch with bobbing apples frees up time for other ghoulish delights. Nathan has a Halloween stand-by that always delivers, spiked with homemade pumpkin-infused bourbon, and inspired by the Washington Irving American folklore classic The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

For spooky cocktail garnishes try the alien-esque wild hibiscus blossom or a bloody pickled beet!

Andy enjoys the anonymity of costume parties and finds them to be the best kind of parties for letting go of inhibitions and talking to new people. Shake up your guest list, require masks, and perhaps create a “trick or treat” type game that requires social interaction with every person in the room.

Pumpkin carving is always a winner. Whether super classic or artfully non-traditional, gather with friends, play a scary movie, and get inspired!

We know Andy still wants to be Zombie Julia Child for Halloween, but what about you? Dress as your favorite TV chef in a pinch with these silly print-out celebrity masks.

Or you could always goes as The Little Gay Record Player. You, party animal, you.

What’s your favorite TRICK or TREAT? 

The Table Set guys have been mighty busy!

Greg was just in Alaska learning all about Alaska Seafood, and cooking it up too. His Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon Sliders were a hit – if only he had gotten the date of the party that they were for right. Whoops!

No roof above Nathan’s head means indefinite date night until the construction is through (oh, shucks). And it’s just another day for Andy, which means another crazy Pirate Pizza Party at work.

Speaking of work, Andy has invited his kitchen assistant Brian to join the conversation this week. They are planning an inventive breakfast-for-dinner cook-off menu, and are teeming to preview their ideas. Which, really, is a wonder how the boys have eluded indulging in full-on brunch action since their 6th episode (Put An Egg On It!). But Greg would like to differentiate – This is not brunch, this is breakfast, anytime.

Eggs are a big deal, obviously. The Table Set is no stranger to a Perfect Poach, but Greg schools this week on the Perfect Hard-boiled Egg.

Everyone agrees, Egg in the Hole is a big winner. Nathan gives props to (the aptly named) EGG in Brooklyn for their cheesy version Eggs Rothko.

Up the ante with Eggs in Jail (pic up top) by adding oppressive bars of delicious bacon, or like Andy and Brian go with, oh I dunno, rabbit organs!!!

Of course egg is also the ultimate condiment, as in Greg’s classic Asparagus Mimosa. (Thankfully no, not a beverage.)

But really, breakfast is all about comfort. And who knows comfort food better than Betty Crocker??

Applying vintage Betty recipes to our topic at hand, Andy fittingly drew the “Mainstays Without Meat” card. Abandoning her nut loaf and… white fish, Andy instead waxed on his late night “Tempeh Hippie Hash” at his hometown hang the Fleetwood Diner.

Brian opts for a meat-free omelet filled with Brussels Sprouts browned in butter, caramelized onions, garlic and cream cheese. Or rainbow carrots glazed in coconut oil. For breakfast? You bet!
But what about french fry omelets and shrimp n’ grits poutine?? Double YES!!

Two words: Chicken & Waffles. Greg doesn’t get it! But clearly Andy’s friend the Waffleizer does. First step, leggo that Eggo.

Good news! Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles uses real chickens! Hooray!

Nathan’s favorite C&W to date might be at Emeril’s in New Orleans. Their fried organic chicken is layered on the plate with sweet corn Belgian waffles, watermelon slaw and Crystal hot sauce syrup. Insanity.

Another universal breakfast anytime is, of course, the Breakfast Burrito. Respect! The best is at a tiny Valley haunt called the Corner Cottage. Worth the wait!

Biscuits n’ Gravy: True or False?

Andy’s points out Salty Seattle‘s scientifically proven Biscuits and Gravy recipes. Southern red-eye gravy-blooded Greg says no way, sister. But hey, it’s breakfast. Can’t we all get along?

What’s your favorite breakfast anytime dish?

(Chocolate chip pancakes are a totally acceptable answer.)

Happy Rut-tober!  We’re in it to win it!  On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast we’re humbly asking for your help.  There’s homework and we’re springing it on you early.  We need your podcast topic ideas.  We’re in a rut and we need your brain-tanks.  Help?

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We’re answering your questions about expensive bridesmaid dresses.  Oooh geez.

Let’s just order our bridesmaids dress online, mmmkay?

Tracy real-talks the heck out of parenting.

This is Cooper’s first EAster.  The plaid.  I just can’t even deal.

Josie!  Thank you for doing your homework!

Your kindness is just incredible.

Rachel and Derek.  We heart you major!

Thank you for listening to this, the 69th episode of the Joy the Baker podcast.  Sorry about all the 69 jokes… but seriously…. let’s be real.  Stay off the bottom.

You’ve been waiting forever, and it’s finally here—another podcast!

In this episode, Tsh chats it up with Arianne Segerman of To Think is To Create, along with her latest gig—the editor of the newest channel in Tsh’s blog network, Simple Design.

Tsh’s brother Josh recently posted his fall music faves, and along with Ari, the three of them go gaga for Mumford & Sons’ latest. Have you heard it yet? You must.

Ari’s been dressing for the day she wants to have, thanks to Abby Leigh.

Lindsey Cheney started the crazy popular link party What I Wore Wednesday. And one of their favorite participants is mutual friend Lisa Leonard:

Ari thinks Tsh needs more leopard print in her life—the blue leopard number is no longer being sold (sad!), but here’s something similar. Or to be safe, Tsh can go with these $15 flats from good old Target:

They’re totally smitted with Spotify, even if it does reveal their questionable workout music to the general public.

Ari and Tsh both agreed with Laura’s home trends that are on their way out, but who cares? To them, they’re still in. Especially if you put a bird on it:

An oldie but a goodie.

And Ari’s currently reading The Paris Wife—Tsh would reserve it at the library if she didn’t already have 15 bajillion books on her to-read list. Who are we kidding… it’s being added to the list right now.

What are you reading? What are you wearing this fall? And can you pull off leopard?

Don’t call it a comeback! We’ve been here for years. Although we missed the month of September. Thank you for waiting for us. So in Episode 42 we talked about lots of things: big changes at Taco Bell, NPR’s Ask Me Another radio quiz show, Jeopardy Contestant Eligibility quiz, exorbitant Cle De Peu face cream, the list goes on! Oh, and some books, we talked about a lot of books that have been on our nightstands recently:

Here are links to most of the books mentioned:

Paul Auster, City Of Glass

Andrew McCarthy, Longest Way Home

Caitlin Moran, How To Be A Woman

Molly Ringwald, Getting The Pretty Back

Ratchel Dratch, Girl Walks Into A Bar

Do you have a book to recommend to us? Let us know! You can email us at thebecauseshow@gmail.com or leave a comment here in HomeFries. Thanks for popping by to check out our Show Notes! Have you been able to listen to our 1st 70 shows available on a different RSS feed? You can find those recordings here. And don’t forget! You can call our wonderful voicemail at 818-643-1565 and leave us a message. See you on the next episode! xxoo

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Jepper Depper Do you want to listen to a podcast!?  On this episode of the Joy the Baker podcast, Joy and Tracy answer your relationship questions, live vicariously through your study abroad program, and encourage you to eat more cheese.  Just more of the same!  Oh!  We also have some very important homework.  Have a listen!

Dan Savage talks about relationship deal-breakers.  What are yours?

Dan Savage also talks about all sorts of weird, crazy, and totally normal sex stuff… just so you know.

Tracy is happy with this outfit….although you can’t really tell….

Ooh Nikki.  You’re major!

Get up with the get down!  We’re talking about cheese!

French Onion Soup Sandwiches  and…

NACHO CHEESE!!!!!!

Thank you thank you for all of your touching kind words for Tim.  We wanted to show Tim some love and your suggestions were incredible.  We’re so glad you’re here!

We’d think it would be awesome if we honored Veronica with one of her favorite desserts:  Lemon Pound Cake.  Make it and share the love!  Tim and Veronica also loved volunteering and sharing their time and love with others.  Think about it…  let’s make this fit into our lives as well.  It feels like a really humbling way to honor Veronica, ourselves, and the people around us.

Please tweet us (@homefries) and email us at contact at homefries dot com.  We love when you share.

I love notebooks. I always have and I am pretty sure I always will. The problem I find with notebooks is that I don’t always finish them. There’s something that makes me lose steam and jump ship. Am I alone here? Maybe it’s just that I love a clean slate and starting over? Maybe I get bored easily? Maybe I would finish writing in an entire notebook if it was ORGANIZED. We shall see about that.

It all started with a fancy Moleskine I bought at the beginning of the summer. It’s designed for projects. I’m a project person!

There were a few stickers in the notebook to help section of the pages. BRILLIANT.

I also used washi tape to make the sides of my indexed sections more prominent.

I started to take this idea a little bit further and I came up with a system of how I wanted to organize my notebook.

If you look up at the top, you’ll notice that I created an index for myself.

FOOD

BLOG STUFF

GOALS & DREAMS

TO DO LISTS

This would be my food section. I created a header page on the index.

Once again…washi!

This is the section where I write down recipes to make. It makes me feel good to have a map of my kitchen endeavors.

You can also see that the Moleskine has a bookmark. I appreciate that in a book.

One of the most used sections is my TO-DO Lists.

I make lists here. I’ll add post-its of things I’ve written down when I don’t have my book with me.

I keep a few post-its in the back of the book so I can make a list on the go- or remind myself of something.

All of my TO-DO lists start with a date, and when something is done, I cross it off. BAM.

This is what the notebook looks like on the side. I can easily get to the sections I need to access.

Oh! I also like to keep a print-out of my Google Calendar in my notebook so I can jot down stuff.

Time seems to pass by quickly and since I’m a visual person, it’s important for me to have a visual of what’s going on.

This is also how I plan my posts on my website. I wish I could be a person that is a 100% computer user, but there’s just something about a paper calendar that gets me every time. It just makes sense to me.

So there you have it. I’m about 3 months in and still carry this notebook around & write in it daily.

]]> http://homefries.com/2012/10/10/organized-my-notebook/feed/ 38 http://homefries.com/show/the-joy-the-baker-podcast/marry-that-doughnut/ http://homefries.com/show/the-joy-the-baker-podcast/marry-that-doughnut/#comments Thu, 04 Oct 2012 08:05:00 +0000 Joy the Baker http://homefries.com/show/the-joy-the-baker-podcast/marry-that-doughnut/

How many times can you mention Spotted Dick in one podcast?  At least five.  (Let’s just add Spotted Dick to the long list of things that Joy doesn’t know about.)

On this episode of the Joy the Baker Podcast, Joy and Tracy get into their Fall Bucket Lists.  They also suggest you move to a new city with your long-time boyfriend, dress up as your best friend for Halloween, and fill your phone with apps.

Get into Fall!  Just don’t call it Autumn.

Baked Pumpkin Pecan Doughnuts

Joy is totally obsessed with these stuffed apples.

Baked Apples with Savory Stuffing

Luscious Cardamom Pear Butter!

If Joy dressed up as Tracy she’d wear a stripe-y maxi and take pictures of her feet.

Spot on!

(No mention of Spotted Dick.)

This is what it’s like to text with Tracy.  She’s all business.

Apps we like:

Picfx

Postagram

Instagram

Tweetbot

Reeder

Spotify

HopStop

Instacast

Get into it!!

Very Important Note:

We really do love our listeners and are just crushed to hear that listener Tim lost his wife Veronica this week.  We want to do something special for Tim.  Do you have any ideas?  Do you have any kind words?  We’re in this together.

I’m sitting in my office right now taking a break from making a birthday cake for Cooper. I’m having a really small get together for his birthday tonight and I’m feeling a tad bit stressed. But then I started thinking…. I should just ask for help. What a concept!  It’s not that I don’t want help; I just never know what to ask of people because I am always planning on doing things myself. It never occurs to me that I can farm things out and use people as resources. I just don’t operate that way.

So, I’m going to take charge and ask for help today. I’m thinking of all of the things that need to be done and I am going to give some of my family members jobs. And to think I would have done this ALL MYSELF.  No wonder it’s hard to relax and enjoy a party!

My mom is coming over early and I am going to have her wrap presents and set the table. My dad will help me wipe off the table on our deck, put out the wine glasses & decant wine. My husband will help me straighten up the house and put the dishes away and possibly  clean up the bathroom. We’ll see. Now that I know what I want help with, it should be easier to ask!

Suddenly I don’t feel as stressed out.

Have you been missing us? We’ve basically taken the entire month of September off of recording. Life kinda overwhelmed us all at once! But, don’t fret, we will be back soon with an entire new episode of good things to tell you.

Like all the stuff we’ve been obsessing over lately, including:

• The new P.T.Anderson movie ‘The Master’. Have you seen it!
• The Atlantic-Pacific blog, great styling. Fancy outfits.
• Halloween is approaching! Time to start decorating!
• Calorie counting. Erghh. But it works!

Thanks to all the listeners who called, tweeted and emailed to tell us to get our microphones back in action and keep on keeping’ on. Do YOU have something you want to tell us? call our voicemail at 818-643-1565. See you on the next episode! xxoo

Red Flag: BING!

This week on the Joy the Baker Podcast Joy and Tracy revisit the time-honored internal system… the red flag.  Let’s discuss Niki Minaj, shopping lines, boys and their shirts, and maternity photographs.

If you think this is just the same old nonsense… not true!  Except, well… Joy does make Tracy break up with her again.  Practice makes perfect!

In the food realm, Tracy suggests a Roasted Spaghetti Squash w/ Mushrooms for a mother-in-law encounter.  It’s not a carb.  Which is weird.

In the technology realm, Tracy gets an iPhone tomorrow.  Let the Emoji BEGIN!

Thanks for playing along with another podcast!  We love you, we do.

(hamburger, strong arm, american flag, american flag)

You guys! I finally cleaned out my car. This has been on my TO-DO list for AGES. I figured that I would wait until we were officially moved into our new place to clean out my car. Trips to Home Depot have a way of messing things up. You know what I mean?

Let’s check out the BEFORE.

No wonder I feel claustrophobic when I get in the car.

I’ve had this stuff in the door pocket for AGES. It’s always in my periphery when I drive. NO LIKE.

One of the reasons why I have such a messy car is that it gets FILLED with stuff EVERY DAY. I cleaned out Cooper’s cubby at preschool after one week and this is what I have in my car. We have at least two paper airplanes to bring home with us each day… It needs to be sorted through. There’s always a lunch box, a blanket, socks & dirty clothes that I have to bring home so the front seat gets really messy. I also have MY OWN stuff to deal with. Ugh.

The back of the car is almost always a disaster. I have these bins from our office move. They haven’t made it into my garage yet. You can also see that I like to wrap scarves & clothes around my seats. Sometimes I feel like my car is another closet. It overwhelms me, but I can’t help but do it.

This is the backseat where Cooper sits. Because we just went to Home Depot and took something big home, my yoga mat is shoved where his feet belong. There’s a random towel there too and just random crap hanging out in the seat pocket.

So I took those bins and did something with them! I used them to sort my stuff.

I made 4 different bins. Garbage/Recycling. TO SORT.

MY CLOTHES/ COOPER’S CLOTHES.

All the stuff to be sorted is SORTED.

I gathered stuff that needs to go inside. What the heck is a bell doing in my car??!

I also brought all the clothes inside to put away.

I gathered all the toiletry essentials I like to have in my car and put them in this case.

There’s a drawer under the passenger side seat. I put some Essentials in there.

Now it’s time to CLEAN!

This was actually my job when I was a kid. Every weekend my brothers & I had to clean my parent’s cars.

They had to clean outside while I had inside duty. Maybe this is why the inside of cars are so important to me?

Soap + Water. I took a rag and cleaned down all of the surfaces.

I soaked areas that had build-up gunk on them. I did some detailing with some toothpicks.

It’s amazing what you’ll find in there.

I took out all of the rugs and vacuumed the inside of the car. I made sure to get into all of the crevices.

I shook out the rugs and vacuumed them.

Then I took these Armor-All Protectant Wipes and wiped down the dashboard area & the insides of the door.

I actually keep these under the seat. Sometimes when my car gets dirty/dusty on the inside I’ll wipe the inside down if I need to kill time.

Let the AFTERS begin. Here’s the inside. I wiped it all down. It sparkles. You can’t really tell in this picture though.

The toiletry bag is now in my driver side door along with an umbrella. No more paper mess!

This is what the inside looks like in the front. AHHH!

I have a few pens & some hand sanitizer in the front. This area used to be filled with jewelery I took off while driving and lipgloss and gunk.

Cooper’s spot is clean & empty! WOOT.

And from the other side, I hung up this little bag to hold all of my cloth grocery bags.

Look at the trunk!!!! It’s EMPTY. WHOA.

It’s like a brand new car (not really! It’s over 12 years old!).

Cooper was happy to be picked up from school today in a clean car. I REALLY REALLY hope to keep this up.

The key is that I have to slow down and deal with things that come In and Out of our car ASAP.

No more letting things go. Letting things go, and trying to do TOO MUCH (always) gets in my way. Slow down to sanity!

What have we here?  Oooh you know… just the 65th episode of the most important/unimportant podcast ever!  On this episode of the Joy the Baker podcast, Joy and Tracy long-spritz some girl talk.  They talk about everything from ex-boyfriend emails, to friend diets, and bachelorette parties.  How many times does Tracy say ‘penis’?  More than once….

 I Accidentally Saw a Picture of You.  This infamous post is now titled I Accidentally Sent You An Email After I Accidentally Saw A Post You Wrote After You Accidentally Saw A Picture Of Me.

Whoa… that’s a mind-full.

He just wanted hummus.

Tracy and Joy are on what they’re calling The Friend Diet.  We text each other everything we eat.  It’s all about accountability!  It looks a little like this:

Next:

Is Joy really going to dress up as Elijah Wood for Halloween?  Does that even make any sense at all!?

And back to lunches!!!

Tracy has all sorts of ideas for you if you’re in a lunch rut!

Lunch Ideas Part ONE & TWO

Let’s talk cookbooks for dudes:

We’re giving you advice whether you want it or not.  Sit back, relax, and take it all in.  We’re dishing on everything from family photo wardrobes to cocoa powder.  We’re north, south, east, west, and just left of Norway.  But first, let’s talk about Bachelor Pad 3… just to get it out of the way.  (Sorry.)

photo from sole city

It’s Fall family photo time!  Keep it classy with a Fall blazer in navy, green, or grey.  Pair with slim fitting pants, great knee-high boots, and some clean and classic accessories.

Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft would be just the ticket!

Top knot how to video tutorial!  Hair knowledge.

image credit

Honey Boo Boo.  Mos Def Not Honey Boo Boo Cocoa.

It’s like Uhh Yeah Dude… but not at all.  We love this podcast!

Let’s talk chocolate.  The good stuff is important.

King Arthur Double Dutch Cocoa Powder

Valrhona Extra Bitter (at a pretty reasonable price).

Callebaut Bitter Chocolate Pieces

Dark Chocolate Cake Doughnuts. Boom.

Lost Crates is a gift subscription program wherein you can receive awesome monthly or quarterly gifts from Joy.  It’s rad.  Read more about it here.  Last month Lost Crates partnered with pretty pretty Rifle Paper (above).  This month Lost Crates partnered with Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour and Beanilla.

Tracy has some really amazing ways to organize her recipe.  Journals.  Folders.  The Internet.  She’s all over it!  Well done!  High Straightenence : Recipe Organizing.

Thank you for listening.  We love you , we do!

If you’re anything like me, you love looking at/collecting recipes. It can be tough to keep track of it all, huh? It’s overwhelming! Today I want to show you how I organize mine. I’ve got myself a little system.  Here’s how I keep track.

I use a Moleskine journal first of all. Then I have a recipe folder where I keep all of my magazine cut-outs.

You can see more about the Recipe Folder on my website. I’ve been using it for awhile.

In my journal I’ve made a few sections for food. I’ll talk about that more later. But this is the food section.

I have a list of Recipes To Make:

On the top you can see the ones that I have yet to post on Shutterbean.

You can see my list of what I want to make.

I write down the magazine the recipe came from & the name of the recipe.

If it’s from a cookbook, I include the page #

I usually keep the recipes I want to make right away folded in my journal for safe keeping.

The other ones I want to make live in the RECIPE FOLDER. And when I am done typing up the recipe, the cut-out gets put in the recycling. Done.

OK. Let’s talk cookbooks!

There are so many recipes in a cookbook, how do you narrow down what you want to make?

It’s easy. You use a big post-it. Lemme show you.

I go through a cookbook and write down all of the recipes I have my eye on.

Ummm this cookbook had too many things I wanted to make. This is just my first round!

I write down the recipe name and put the page number next to it for quick reference.

Things that particularly entice/excite me get the all CAPS treatment.

So then I put the sticky notes in the front page of the cookbook so I can open it up and see all of the recipes I want to make.

Sometimes I put the sticky note on the outside cover.

Sometimes I use a highlighter so a recipe can stand out more. I live dangerously.

And when I’m online looking at good recipes, I pin them on Pinterest.

This is my board called NOM WORTHY.  Cuz everything there is…well…

NOM WORTHY

Worthy of nom.

And I also have a Board on Pinterest where I post my recipes. It’s called

RECIPES THAT HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE.

Because they have.

It’s nice to be able to look at thumbnails of my recipes. It helps when I’m meal planning.

I have a bunch more to pin!

And if there’s something I see in a cookbook that I see in a bookstore, I take a picture with my camera phone and send it to an Evernote folder on my phone.

More on Evernote soon! I’m still navigating my way through it.

Do you have any recipe organizing tips? Do share!

Oh, so much of this is ‘not suitable for work’ situations so keep your earbuds tucked in tight on this one. But if you are home by yourself folding laundry, then crank up the volume by all means.  So, what did we talk about on this episode? Let’s see…

1.YOLO. It’s not low-fat yogurt. In fact, podcast pals Joy and Tracy also yolo’d.

2. Love the Sephora Beauty Insider program.

3. Books. Have you read Gone Girl yet?

4.Clarisonic. Again. Amy gives it two thumbs up. I still like mine too!

Thanks for popping in to our Show Notes! Want to see more of our lovely faces? Check out our albums on our Because Show facebook page, we document everything. What else? Call our voicemail at 818.643.1565. You totally know the drill. You can leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks and see you on the next episode! xxoo

You’re listening to the Joy the Baker Podcast with me… I’m Joy the Baker, and as always I’m joined by my friend Tracy from Shuuuuuttterbean.com.  This week, like every week we’re discussing totally important unimportant things.  This week in particular we’re talking ‘dudes’… it’s a dudecast and it’s for you.  We take calls from our beloved few male listeners, and do our best to…. totally now answer their questions.  We have a bad habit of that and we mostly apologize.

Joy went to Maine where she stayed on an 85 year old schooner.  It was magic.

Maine knows how to get up with the get down.  These soft-shell lobster were cooked on the beach of a tiny island over an open fire.  Few things are more romantic.

Ok… so Joy totally bought a seersucker blazer at the grocery store… and she killed it  with leopard in Maine.  To be honest, the Maine-iacs totally looked at her like she was a poser, but she didn’t give a care.

Let Joy and Tracy teach you how to drink!  The trick is to do it responsibly.

Joy was obsessed with her summer drink.  Negroni!

Pimm’s cup is a solid summering beverage.

Tracy’s Maple Bourbon Cider for Fall!

Maple Bourbon Cider

Oh!  Tracy totally pulls off warm gin with this Gin Toddy!  Ginger go!

Time, Love & Tenderness.  Oooh gosh this is good!

Andy’s at it again with his crazy hippie talk of kombucha!  What now?  Not only did his kombucha turn out drinkably delicious, he’s cooking with it too!  Mussels steamed in kombucha with fennel, heirloom tomato and PEAS FROM MARS (ok, they’re just green garbanzos!)

Meanwhile, Nathan was partying in the pinball museum!

There were vintage pinball machines galore, an Evel Knievel cake and even BBQ Tempeh sandwiches!

Oh, and did we mention it was a party for a friend’s 40th birthday?

40 is no longer “over the hill” like Andy remembers it being back in the day.  In fact, Greg says 40 is the new 25, so a pinball party is completely appropriate.  Or how about a piñata?  Andy’s Mom’s 40th may have been nearly 20 years ago, but even back then she had a piñata at her party!

And speaking of piñatas, they’re really a great addition to any birthday.  They’re even better when you craft them yourself, like these masterpieces by Nathan’s sister.

Piñata or no, Greg refuses to call a 40th birthday a “landmark” birthday.  ”Significant” is his word of choice.  And although he loathes the idea of having a surprise party thrown for him, he successfully surprised his partner Ken on his 40th by inviting all his closest friends and parents to a cabin on the lake.

40 isn’t the only significant birthday.  Nathan fondly remembers his 30th, but not because of the number, but rather because of how many dear friends made it to his “glamping” trip.

Last year, Andy celebrated his 25th with a 25 course dinner for 25 people.  And he was gifted a bottle of wine from his birth year!

But what of that “significant” number 21?  Greg had more than one 21st birthday, Nathan remembers nothing notable, and Andy passed on drinks for a big plate of sweet potato fries instead!

In reality, the number isn’t always what makes a birthday significant.  It’s all about the time, place, people and feeling.  Like when Nathan celebrated his birthday on an airplane on the way back from a fun vacation in Russia.

Of course, when you’re a kid, every birthday feels like a significant one, but especially Greg’s 11th birthday on November 11th!

Nathan couldn’t help but look forward to the exciting cakes that his Mom would always make for him.

And Andy was all about the stylish birthday hats.

Andy has an idea for his birthday this year: a Brunch for Dinner Party!  Naturally he’s commissioning Nathan to do the drinks.  So what is on Nathan’s mind and in Nathan’s liquor cabinet?  Aquavit for a very non-traditional Bloody Mary.

And it wouldn’t be a birthday without singing that special song.  Never has it sounded sweeter then from the speaker of the Little Gay Record Player.

So, how old are you now?

It’s almost Labor Day weekend.  I’m having 15 people spend two nights at my house. What are you up to?

The key to me not freaking out about this is to stay organized. Frankly, I love entertaining because I love the planning aspect of it. Any excuse to make a TO-DO list is just fine with me.

So this is how I’m staying organized. I have several lists going on right now.

First list to kick it off is the WHO THE HECK WILL BE THERE, list?

I kinda map out what meals we’re going to be having. This is my first list.

Then I map out the days on other piece of paper and put down the different meals we’ll be having.

Later on I fill in the blanks after I’ve done some brainstorming.

When I’m brainstorming the food, I print out recipes and figure out what needs to be bought at the store.

Since we are having a huge family get together, I gotta make a Costco list but there are some things at regular stores I need too!

There’s much more to add, this is just a start.

I like to write down the food I’m making on my list. It helps me not forget what I have to do!

And then I like to break it down to what I need to do on each day in the kitchen/shopping wise:

Lastly, there’s stuff TO DO AROUND THE HOUSE.

I make a huge list & then the husband and I divide & conquer.

Now a mass email goes out to all my sister-in-laws about food & sleeping arrangements and hopefully they’ll email me back and fill in the blanks. In a perfect world, they would all respond back to the email, but in reality I get a few emails, text messages, and messages through husbands of what is going on. And we all know how accurate a husband’s message is. Ha!

Wish me luck!

HOBO WINE.

It’s. So. Gross. Seriously guys, don’t try this at home, trust me. It put a bad taste in my mouth just to take a picture of it for our Show Notes! What is “Orange Wine Product” anyway? Actually, I don’t even want to know. But what I do want to know is how we are doing in our production of the podcast. Any tips or feedback for us? Let ‘er rip guys, I’m not actually ‘the delicate flower’ that I sound like on the show sometimes. I can totally take some constructive criticism, yo.

ANYHOO, this week on The Because Show we talked about Oh So Much, it’s hard to keep track! But that’s what Show Notes are for, so if you are looking for something we mentioned and it’s not here then let us know and we will try our best to accommodate you with the info.

• the Clarisonic Mia! it will brush and polish your face into a smooth visage of beauty. Or at least that is what we’ve heard!
• Cat Marnell situation that we find  somewhat fascinating. We’re hoping a year from now we are reading a book she’s written.
• It’s been 40 years (!) since Rodriguez hit the music scene and the documentary ‘Searching For Sugarman’ will be in theaters soon.
• Riunite wine is trying to make a comeback?

Thanks for stopping by our show notes! Thanks to every listener who chimes in with their feedback! You can also email to thebecauseshow@gmail.com if you like and that is also wonderful. Or follow us on twitter @thebecauseshow (or me Jerilyn @jerilynd). Of course, you can also leave us a comment here or call our voicemail at 818.643.1565. We are always wondering who will pick up the phone and leave us a voicemail.

Or wondering who will leave a review on iTunes. We LOVE IT when  a review is written just for us. A nice friendly review, that is.

Not a meanie.

Thank you thank you to all the sweet listeners who take the time to let us know they are listening – we dig it!  It’s like our payment for doing the show, it’s that good. So, goodbye, adieu, au revoir  for now – see you on the next episode! xxoo

]]> http://homefries.com/show/the-because-show/hobo-wine/feed/ 1 The Because Show Hobo Wine! How bad can it be if it costs 1.99 and you find it in some random bin at the drugstore? Find out as we taste test the stuff so you don't have to! Hobo Wine! How bad can it be if it costs 1.99 and you find it in some random bin at the drugstore? Find out as we taste test the stuff so you don't have to! no 37:45 http://homefries.com/2012/08/22/kitchen-quick-cleanup/ http://homefries.com/2012/08/22/kitchen-quick-cleanup/#comments Wed, 22 Aug 2012 07:00:10 +0000 Tracy http://homefries.com/?p=7082

I know it’s hard to believe but I have a hard time getting motivated. The only thing that really helps me is to set a timer. The microwave timer has been one of my favorite kitchen tools these days. What can I do in 34:59? Make a big dent on my kitchen counters. That’s what!

I have this problem…I pile stuff on my kitchen counters…. and so does everyone else! It seems like the right place to put stuff when you come into our house but man does it drive me BONKERS. I get stressed out like you wouldn’t believe when the counters look like this. And about 75% of the time they do. There’s really no stopping it, but there is a way to manage it…

This corner  gets junked up too. I cram too much stuff in there and most of the time I have no idea what’s back there. From the paper towel holder to the right there’s a black hole. Bread goes there to be bready.

I apparently like to use the stove top as a kitchen counter. Niiiice.

So what I like to do is set the timer and start sorting.

I make a few piles and plan my attack.

This section is where I put all the stuff that need to be cleaned/washed. It’s narrow but in my brain that’s where dirty dishes go.

I put away all of the clean dishes on the counter, loaded the dishwasher and let it run. Things are moving along!

I did some of the dishes by hand, dry them and put them away immediately. Drying dishes is one of my least favorite things to do because I like piling clean stuff on my counter. I’m kidding. I’m just lazy.

I grab all the food that’s just hanging out….getting in my way and PUT IT ALL AWAY. See ya.

There are a lot of things that don’t belong….These items get put away too.

I clear out this section so I can do a little deeper cleaning. I do this about once a week…sometimes twice.

I spot clean every night with a soapy sponge.

Have you tried this method kitchen cleaner? I think it smells like a lemon-line snow cone.

DONE. Boom. Things are put back, organized and cleaned.

In the process, I ended up moving my pot over to the counter and creating a bread bowl. I like it!

Except when I need to make a stew. Wait. It’s not stew weather. We’ll regroup when it is.

And here we have the final after. Big diff, right?

A timer is how I stay motivated! I usually find that when the time’s up, I keep working because after about 20 minutes I get into a really good groove. It’s a win win. Maybe I’m just inherently competitive with myself.

It’s another raging good time on the Joy the Baker Podcast this week!  We kid you not.  This week we discuss the six (totally important, unimportant) things that need to get done before summer escapes us. These things include wearing white, breaking into pools, and dancing in public.  What could go wrong?  The doggie paddle… that’s what can go wrong.

Last week we YOLOed.  Tracy YOLOed some Rolos for her birthday.  It was definitely the right thing to do.

Tracy is all about the infinity scarves.  Joy is NOT all about American Apparel.

Gentlemen, we will continue to talk about nailpolish if you don’t write us and give us other things to talk about.  It’s up to you.  If you want us to talk about football… we’ll try.  Seriously.  Let’s do this!

Write us:  contact at homefries dot com.

Reach out to us on Twitter:   @homefries @joythebaker @shutterbean

Call Us Maybe:  (817) 82-fries

The boys of the Table Set have been BUSY this summer. Soberingly so.

Andy and Nathan were just in SF gorging on killer Lamb Poutine, craft beer and wine to the sounds of Die Antwoord at Outside Lands Music Festival. Epic times.

Nathan’s jet-setting summer also took him to Whidbey Island off the coast of Seattle for Reverend Hazard‘s first nuptial rite. It was a hit! Thanks in part to the flowing Kentucky bourbon buffet.

Greg’s adventures landed him in Columbus, Ohio for a super foodie tour of the fun and thriving town. Highlights included Brothers Drake Meadery, Middle West Spirits, and Mouton – the bar where Greg saddled up next to Michelle Blackley, editor of the magazine Edible Buffalo, and with a glance at Greg’s card (below) he discovered also a Table Set fan!

Yes, the boys are no strangers to a good libation, and summer indulgence can lead to some serious headaches. But then: What was the most legendary bender ever?

Greg’s New Years Eve in Paris sloshing shin-deep through Champagne bottles in the streets was one of his more magnificent recollections. And Andy’s Czech Becherovka binge is still storied in these parts.

Nathan’s sunburnt & rum-saturated San Fran Bender a couple of years ago still has feet, but shockingly he’s allowed back in the park, restaurant, bars, and hotel where it all went down…

But that hangover. OOF, those pesky hangovers.

Papa Greg is ready with a laundry list of tips and cures (from B-complex vitamins to green tea), and even his own special tonic recipe to help ease the pain. Nathan swears by his coconut water, claiming more than marketing magic. The jury’s still out on pickle juice, the supposed Polish cure, and Prickly Pear fruit extract – a newfangled supplement that has creative “preventative” cocktail written all over it!

If ever Andy isn’t at the Sunday Hollywood Farmer’s Market (gasp!), you can bet he’s exorcising some homebrew demons at Sweaty Sundays in Silver Lake, his hangover cure-all.

But prevention is always wisest. Nathan is going to work on learning to spit when next wine tasting around the Central Coast. (Wino headache = No bueno).

Of course reinforcing your belly with GREAZY FOODZ in conjunction with drinking lessens the physical blow, such as at Andy’s Fraggle Bock Party complete with duck fat-fried fragel sandwiches.

Then there’s Andy’s homemade Kombucha… OMFG.

But if we’re talking morning booze, there is no contest. Make it a proper Bloody Mary, OK?

Whats your cure-all???