Weekend Reading

Found around town #loveislove🌈

A photo posted by Kate Spaulding (@shortandsweets) on Jun 24, 2016 at 10:50am PDT

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a good week. I spent a lot of time in what my family calls "house manager" mode this week - phone calls, grocery shopping, bills, etc., along with school and work. So, a pretty tame week I suppose.

Of course, the UK took care of that feeling last night. APW's point has really stuck with me:

now scores of people—including those who graduated college a month ago and thought they were entering into an exciting, open new world—can’t travel or work in 27 countries! When 75 percent of those ages 18-24, 56 percent of those 25-49, 44 percent of those 50-64, and 39 percent of those 65 and older voted to remain, it’s a little hard not to be super pissed that older generations are making decisions that my contemporaries and our children will have to live with for decades

Now, granted, people in the UK will still be able to travel, at least for pleasure, though it will be more complicated than it's been. But I think the point is still a valid one. It's especially upsetting in the face of reporting about how people didn't know what they were voting about. 

Other things worth clicking on:

An online calculator that determines the cost of being a stay-at-home parent. Whether this applies to your situation or not, Go Look. The dollar amounts are staggering. To me, they add up to a million (more) reasons to institute paid family leave, flexibility, affordable and high-quality childcare, and compassion. 

I haven't gotten through the whole series yet, but a reporter spent four months working as a guard in a private prison and then wrote about it. Journalists aren't welcomed in prisons, so this was his "in." The editor's letter is worth a read as well. 

In lighter news, this week, winners from the kitchen included no-bake energy bites (if you make them, use jarred pb, not the grind-your-own-kind, as it didn't seem to have enough oil to hold together), veggie pad thai (warning: crashy website), and pasta "alfredo."

This made me happy. Still not on Snapchat, but it was the best reason I've seen thus far. 

A school library in rural California asks for Just One Book. 

This week, I enjoyed reading The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson, set in England before and during WWI. I'm about halfway through The Confidence Code, which is interesting. I'm hoping for All the Answers in the second half. 

My stuff: a bit about the Arab Spring & social media resources for LIS peeps. 

Some of these links are affiliate links.

Weekend Reading

hi friends! How was your week? I've been doing a lot of adulting lately (talking to the bank and ordering blinds and filling out forms and registering for classes and applying for jobs and internships and ... things), so I'm looking forward to some nephew time this weekend (because 11-month-olds have no patience for silly paperwork) and walking over to the annual town carnival/festival/thingie.

So, perhaps with your weekend you wanna do some reading? Here's what I've liked of late:

The Economy of You by Kimberly Palmer - definitely worth a read if you're interested in a side gig/multiple income streams

Generous Hearts & Social Media Shaming - a post about empathy on the internet (and in life)

My research fail

Amazing looking chocolate chip cookies.

A podcast from a former classmate, Lauren Fadeley about her move from Pennsylvania Ballet to Miami City Ballet

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Not super new anymore (2008), but definitely motivational and a nice change from "exercising makes your body healthier"

Related: Could Thinking Positively About Aging Be the Secret of Health?

I've been binge reading this series by Estelle Ryan featuring a smart, strong leading lady whose hyper-analytical brain helps save art (and people. and the world, really)

Me, in the career development world

Have you read/seen/listened to anything noteworthy lately? Tell me more, tell me more!
Have a great weekend!

Some of these links are affiliate links.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, friends! I'm in the final days of vacation (back to work on Monday), as is Mr Official Taster. It's also a certain husband's birthday on Sunday! As usual, I'm more excited than he is (he's not that into birthdays. I don't understand). His big birthday present came into our lives last month (a new PS4), so this weekend will be pretty low key. He hasn't mentioned a pcake yet this year, but I also haven't come up with a new and brilliant idea. Yet. Pinterest stalking here I come.

I'm back on the west coast after a nice trip east. I had the chance to see both some friends and some family, as well as avoid the heat wave that was happening out here. One of my favorite couples took me to Chanticleer Garden. For those of you in the Philadelphia region, it's definitely worth a visit. It's yet another estate that's been turned into a public garden, and it's really lovely. It much less informal than places like Longwood or Filoli - they even let you walk on the grass. You can spend the afternoon there, and even picnics are ok.

This week in blogland, I told you to make some Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze and some printable thankful cards.

Meet Monkey! She does not live at Chanticleer, but rather at my friends' house. Monkey is surprisingly amenable to being picked up, though I suspect she's just gotten used to it since she doesn't really have a choice in the matter. I learned that chickens are surprisingly soft!

Onto links!

Depending on what ads you're getting on the sidebar ---> you may see one for Unicef. I encourage you to click on it (or this link), educate yourself, and ultimately donate. I did this week. As a kid, I remember lots of Halloween nights repeating "trick-or-treat for Unicef!" over and over to fill my little orange box with coins and my bag with candy. It was really a win-win. So I decided that it was time to update that childhood tradition. No candy for me, but vaccines administered, clean water provided, food fed, education offered, and disasters relieved for millions of children. Here are 8 photos of 8 things you never knew about how Unicef saves lives.

By now you have probably heard that the Nobel Peace Prize went to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai, who both do really important work. I think it was a stroke of brilliance to split the prize this way, as Malala's fame helps shine a light on Kailash's noble work. Malala was on with John Stewart last year as part of her book tour, and the way she speaks and her courage gave me chills. Go watch - even if it's just the first part, you won't regret it.

Colorado, what are you doing?!

The University of Illinois has put together a comprehensive stain removal guide, which seems like one of those handy bookmarks.

Some community colleges are trying something new - avoiding the dreaded remedial algebra classes in favor of what turn out to be higher level math classes. Students enrolled in these pilot programs have a much greater graduation rate.

A smart op-ed in from The New York Times on the diversity of Islam

In case you didn't fully realize it, what with the pumpkin everything that's out there, some lovely photos of fall color.

In a shameless plug, have you tried my pumpkin chili? There are actual (and delicious) chunks of pumpkin in it.

From The Kitchn, 5 ways to make your jack-o-lantern last longer.

If you're wondering, 7 strange questions that help you find your life purpose.

What children's' breakfasts around the world look like.

How to preserve roasted sweet peppers and herbs in olive oil.

Numi Tea, which I love, is running an Instagram fund-raiser/prize drawing. All you have to do is tag a photo with hashtag #4H2OPE and they donate $1 to @charitywater. (Numi has no idea who I am. I just find their tea delicious)

From the Center for Food Safety, info and an app that helps you avoid GMOs.

It turns out that not only do we have GMOs to worry about, now there is synthetically modified food to sort out.

A splurge or scrimp restaurant edition to help you choose when to go out and when to make your own.

A conversation about the best non-tofu vegetarian meal ideas for the holidays.

Looking for more great reads? Find more editions of weekend reading here. 

Weekend Reading

When this post gets published, I will be high above the country, hopefully sleeping. Scheduled posts can be a great thing! I'm looking forward to spending some time on the east coast, and I'm happy my trip coincides with this heat wave we have going on over here. Seriously, 90+ degrees in October is too much. Mr Official Taster and the puppies are welcome to it.

In blog life, this week I brought you vegan, maple-sweetened Pumpkin Cornbread and linked you over to some picture-perfect homemade vanilla extract labels (and recipe).

Also, YES, I am a total tease with the Instagram this week. #sorrynotsorry

Anyway, I'm not planning on abandoning you fine folks even though I'm on vacation, so check back next week. All the teasing will be over :)

Onto links!

After lots of work, the movement against female genital mutilation is getting the spotlight in the U.K.

Apparently, stress can literally break your heart. (not a sad ending)

Be excited - Book It! is here for adults.

Overnight steel cut oats in jars.

Interesting idea- using anthropologists may be a great way to help combat Ebola.

Latke waffles. YES PLEASE

In case you hadn't heard the Very Exciting News, Netflix is now streaming Gilmore Girls in its entirety. There seems to be a bit of an obsession.

Even when it's legal, abortions can be lethal if there aren't enough medical professionals to serve the community.

Oh, University of Michigan, this is just embarrassing. Did you not think before you wrote?

Weekend Reading

hello and happy weekend! It's the first weekend of fall, though it may not feel quite like it yet (and that's ok). I'm dreaming of my first great apple of the season. My great apple is crunchy, probably red (or mostly red), and has a bold mix of sweet and tart. I haven't found it yet, but if I keep on keeping on, I'm bound to, right? Peaches and apples can't both be disappointing this year.

It rained again! This time, it was definitely more of a real rain. It was sustained over several hours overnight, and it sounded soft and nourishing. It was a pretty great sound to wake up to if you're going to wake up in the middle of the night. It was done by the time I woke up for good, but evidence remained through much of the day. hurrah! Now, let's have that happen a hundred more times, please.

Buddy helped me watch The Roosevelts this week, and I couldn't resist when he started dancing in his sleep. #sorrynotsorry

Also this week here in Short & Sweets land, I shared how I make a better pb&j and some handy dandy food labels. How was your week?

Onto links!

Emma Watson is doing good. The sexual attacks on her are an attack on every woman. Be sure to watch her speech, too (video at top of article). Can you imagine giving that speech to the United Nations for crying out loud when you were just 24?

As women and families have been doing for just about ever - when abortions are illegal, they find ways to get them. This sounds like one of the better ones.

Are you a pie baker? An ah-ha moment from a master about making crust.

Beautiful challah. 

Fortune and Food & Wine got together and came up with a list of the most innovative women in food and drink. 

Learning to let yourself off the hook.

Go Barley looks like a good cookbook to peruse this fall.

As it's officially fall, and therefore the start of soup season, this white bean and arborio rice soup sounds good.

3 vegetarian substitutes for gelatin.

Alicia Keys got naked for twelve non-profits she feels deserves your attention (and money). She's not wrong. 

Thirty years ago, TV gave us one of its greatest feminists.

A yummy looking gluten free cinnamon apple bread from KAF.

Food for thought: good gifts for families in need

Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here.

Weekend Reading

Weekend reading is back! 

Other than that, the big news here is that it rained! Water actually came down from the sky. It wasn't long, and it wasn't much, but it was welcome nonetheless. I fully admit to running outside to smell it and feel it on my face. I went back inside, ate breakfast, and by that time, the rain was done. Sad face. 

I don't really have any exciting weekend plans- how about you? I think we are going to fill our time with exciting things like laundry, cleaning, errands. Sexy stuff. But it's those chores that help make a house a home, don't you think? 

This week on Short & Sweets, I shared my fruit topped citrus olive oil mini muffins (because mini is better), and found you cute labels for your herb and spice jars. (because Friday free printables are also back)

Onto links!

Slow Flowers is a database of florists and farms around the U.S. that offer American, locally grown blooms. With all this beauty, who needs their flowers to fly up from South America?

For those of us still hanging on to summer, cucumber lemonade from the always delicious Smitten Kitchen.

6 crazy GIFs that really show the startling reality of California's drought. (side rant: stop watering your lawns, people!)

Herb-infused whipped cream. hmmm. Interesting!

Do you need some cuteness in your morning? Seth Casteel photographed puppies in a pool. That's right. Underwater puppies learning to swim. They're hard not to smile at.

On growing up.

A list of the best apples for baking.

A handy guide to tofu.

Barnraiser - like Kickstarter, but for farmers. Sounds intriguing.

(vegan) Peach Cardamom Pie with a coconut oil crust. I've been contemplating trying that idea out for a while, so I'm happy to see that Ashlae has figured it out for me

Curried Roasted Eggplant with Smoked Cardamom and Coconut Milk sounds good, even though I don't love eggplant. and it looks really pretty.

From Bon Appetit, an interesting look at what a recipe editor does.

And in a shameless plug, I made some banana bread granola this week, and I'm still in love with it.

Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here.

Weekend Reading

Hello and happy weekend, my friends. It's gorgeous here! This week on the blog, I shared my Strawberry Ice Cream. In real life, I've spent a good amount of time communing with fruit in one form or another. I figure July is the month for berry preserves and August is for tomatoes. What have you been up to?

Onto links! Turns out there was a lot of interesting stuff this week. Have anything to add?

This is, quite probably, the most ridiculous study I've ever heard of. 

Whether you know it or not, you can probably hear the difference between hot and cold water. Go on, test yourself!

Do you like language? Then you'll like this list of twenty-five commonly misused words. I was happy to see "irregardless" on the list as NOT A WORD. 

In another piece of the puzzle, one scientist says promoting diversity is critical to "keeping the bees"

In the preserving world, there was some excitement about a big sale on cherries yesterday. Did you get some? Here's a round up of cherry preserving ideas. So far, I've eaten a lot, and I have two trays dehydrating. I didn't want to do more until I know if I like them. 

Are you a fan of the Outlander novels? Then you may be happy to know there is a blog devoted to the food found in their pages. Outlander Kitchen has quite a collection!

More evidence that chocolate is good for you! Dark chocolate may help blood flow. 

A beautiful stone fruit salad that has me salivating. 

From The Washington Post, an article explaining that it's not that more kids have ADD these days, but that adults expect kids to sit still for an unnatural and unhealthy amount of time. The core-strength test results are shocking and disheartening. 

This made me smile: I love my dog but I'm not his mother.

Some women focused companies have started advertising with un-touched-up photos. Here's the male equivalent. 

In case you need more to love about the duo, Fey and Poehler's story.

In California, a legal skirmish about a strawberry breeding program that could have far-reaching effects. 

O. M. G. These brownie ice cream sammiches from Smitten Kitchen sound divine. 

This week I've been reading a lot about infusing alcohol and making liqueurs. If you are interested, here's a good place to start, along with here and here.  

And in a shameless plug, last year I was eating Little Apricot Cakes around this time, and I really need to make some again. 

Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend!

This week I yelled at the Supreme Court and shared my Strawberry Margarita Jam, which makes it socially acceptable to have tequila at breakfast. I also wondered if anyone cares to hear about my dehydrating adventures. Let me know if you do! Yesterday I celebrated the fourth by sleeping in, making apricot jam, reading, and walking down the block to watch fireworks. Not a bad day.

Onto links!


If you ever wanted to know how to ride a bike in a dress and maintain your modesty, it turns out all you need is a penny and a rubber band.

Yum! Fresh peach and corn salsa.

Want to support women in leadership roles? Check out this index fund that only includes well-performing companies that are also leaders in terms of supporting women in management. Sallie Krawcheck, one of the founders, says, "Research indicates that companies with more women in
senior management have higher returns on capital, lower volatility, greater client focus, increased innovation and greater long-term orientation. As a result, I believe they should also deliver better stockholder returns over time" I say it's smart.

Strawberry Blood Orange Jam looks spectacular.

A former drug dealer defends liberal arts, and an argument (and crazy amazeballs video) in favor of arts in our schools. Seriously, go watch the video even if you don't feel like reading.

Guys. Magic wand salt and pepper shakers. For reals. I wants.

Making a summery dessert? Try topping it with Earl Grey coconut whipped cream. I think it would be DIVINE on a peach crisp.

All things Hobby Lobby. And what a woman’s choice means to the Supreme Court and social conservatives.

Ten years ago the New York Times printed forty-one wedding announcements, five of which were the first legal same-sex marriages to grace those pages. Last week they followed up with those five couples.


Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend! You know what that means...time enough for jam projects, Netflix, and (hopefully) naps. What are you up to?

Links!

Buzzfeed is watching. How much data do you really want to give them?

Really, really, really pretty pictures.

Verizon doing good with their new ad that encourages people to think before they simply tell a girl she's pretty.

How to make sprouted grains.

Mark Bittman wants us to rethink the word "foodie."

Look! Really pretty beet hummus.

Low sugar apricot jam.

Have you heard of Kiva and not joined because, well, life? Well, right now if you join through this link, you can lend $25 for free. And if you do so, I also get to loan $25 for free. That's like winning to the fourth degree. It's fun (at least I think so) and gives me the warm fuzzies.

Want more great reads? Check out all weekend reading posts here. 

Weekend Reading

Happy summer! I hope you had a good week and that you're enjoying some high-quality-weekending before you begin the next one. My week at work made me tired (that's why it's called 'work' eh?), but I spent much of yesterday playing with strawberries (see photo below) and have plans for more today. This week on Short & Sweets, I talked about my week in Kauai and where we ate, vacation habits I'd like to keep, and a delicious new Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp to start Summer off right. What have you been up to this week?

Onto links!

Frozen coconut limeade sounds perfect for summer.

Speaking of summer, will someone make me this peach arugula grilled cheese?

In the wake of so much shooting, five practical things you can do about gun violence.

No one applauds this woman (for good reason) and what it has to say about us.

How cool is it that rhythm and dance can help people with neurological diseases?

Pantene's pithy video on #sorrynotsorry

One cook's project to help people on food stamps eat well on their $4/day

What a pretty sweet potato and black bean Mexican salad!

Goats in Detroit - not as crazy as it sounds.

Cauliflower Steaks with Herb Salsa Verde actually makes cauliflower sound appealing.

Ashton Kutcher being smart. It's kind of nice to see him that way.

Texas women are still fighting the good fight.

I don't like broccoli, but it seems that maybe I should since it may actually clear harmful chemicals out of your body.

If you find 10,000 steps a day too hard, this article about only needing 6000 per day is for you.

A new generation of "Golden Girls" embrace communal living.

Anything to add to the list?

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, friends! This is the first weekend in a while that Mr Official Taster and I have no guests to entertain and only the loosest of plans. It's gonna be good. I realized this week that I haven't had a vacation since September, and that that is too long. Besides sleepy, I get what I like to call "sassy." I'm gonna go ahead and call it charming (in small doses). The good news is that in a week the view over my feet will be of surf and sand. I. am. stoked.

What are you up to? Any fun plans?

Onto links!

Maya Angelou passing was noted by the The New York Times, TIME, and in photos by Essence.

On misogyny, entitlement, and nerds.

Unless you have celiac disease, your gluten intolerance is probably in your head.

KQED says that the Bay Area's housing issue can't (all) be blamed on the tech industry.

Why it's a good thing that women say "I don't know." This: "I’m no expert, but I’d call a willingness to mute herself when she doesn’t know what she’s talking about — and the corresponding eagerness to hear from those who do — a desirable trait in a leader."

The scienc-y secrets to baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

The Kitchn's tips to help you throw a less stressful party.

In preparation for the summer, 20 crops that keep and how to store them

Reading Rainbow is coming back! I'm not the only fan. 

I definitely got sucked down the Upworthy rabbit hole this week (and I'm glad I did). Here are some winners:
- on mass murder and masculinity by the very smart Laci Green
- related: on how being told "being a man" is damaging our boys
- the wonderful Patrick Stewart on violence against women and PTSD
- 50+ reasons to be a feminist (I might be a little in love with Laci Green at this point)

A beautifully written post about the armor we women start growing as young girls.

Update 6/1/14: I heard this on the way home from work and just had to include it. There are several interesting interviews, including one with the author of the article linked to above on misogyny, entitlement, and nerds. 

American Ballet Theater's Misty Copeland on body issues.

This week, I posted recipes for Whole Wheat Maple Oatmeal Bread and Small Batch Strawberry Jam. Making a large batch? Tips for efficiently prepping them.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend! I hope you all had a good week. In this little corner of the world, I shared my Sangria Fruit Ice Cream and a round up of recipes for this Memorial Day weekend.

A big congratulations to my sister-in-law, who graduated today with her MBA. Such an accomplishment! Also this weekend, I get to hang out with one of my favorites and her husband, as well as the parents-in-law, who are in town for the big graduation. I spent a good amount of time baking today! We now have fresh bread, strawberry crisp, and some coffee cake in the fridge ready to stick in the oven tomorrow morning.

Besides general hanging out and celebrating, I'm also planning a field trip to Fioli. It's a beautiful estate, which includes gardens and a mansion (I'm remembering three huge, drool-worthy kitchens) to stand in awe of. I'm sure some photos will make it to my Instagram.

What are you up to this weekend?

Onto links!

The New York Times has a drink generator. Choose your style, spirit, and setting and it provides you with an appropriate recipe. Fun!

36 historic photos that have been realistically colored - the process really makes them feel more vibrant and relevant.

National Geographic has a water calculator that helps you see the size of your water footprint. Not eating meat makes a huge difference!

A smart restauranteur responds to customer demand that servers "show some skin."

Red wine and chocolate may not be the magical superfoods that will save and change your life, but I'll keep them on my menu anyway.

Minimalist Baker came up with a way to make cashew-less vegan queso using eggplant.

I had no idea kids as young as 12 work (legally!) in tobacco fields. That needs to stop.

Have you heard of Narratively? They have a theme each week and articles and stories about that theme are posted each day. They are well-written, insightful, and interesting.

On success.

Part 1 and Part 2 of Local Kitchen Blog's series on sugar, the science behind it, and why it might not be the devil.

The most honest RSVP ever.

10 things that people who love their lives are doing differently. I love the point about not answering the "what do you do?" question with a work answer.

Did you know Ruth Reichl has a new book out? I'm next on the waiting list at the library and am itching to get started.

Maple Lemonade with Peaches and Thyme. Yuummmmmmmmmmm

For more great reads, check out all weekend reading posts. 

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, all! It's beautiful here, and on Friday I was able to sleep in and treat myself to raspberry pancakes. Oh, and I fed my cute jar addiction. I mean, really, could you have resisted those adorbables above? They were even half off. I swooned. It was a pretty darn good way to start my weekend.

What's new with you? Read anything good lately? I did, and, uh, it's kind of a long list this time. Maybe you'd better get that second cuppa? Here's what I've found (or curated) for you:

First of all, you know it's Mother's Day weekend, yes? No? Well, here's a last-minute friendly printable card. I also recommend a Kindle, or maybe some strawberry muffins. There, that gives you some high/low options. You are welcome. Oh, and Happy Mother's Day to my favorite mom :)

Tis the season - beautiful Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars from the inimitable Smitten Kitchen. They are made right in the pan, and she has suggestions for vegan & gluten free versions

Oh. Man. Where has this been all my life? Another great Call Me Maybe

Will you make me some Hibiscus Concentrate? It sounds amazing for iced tea

An honest look at what would happen if everyone in the world stopped eating meat. Obviously impossible, but thought-provoking nonetheless

I first saw the photo on Instagram and decided to investigate further. It's crazy but true: a National Geographic photographer was arrested for taking photos, in America, of a factory farm. In this article, he wonders if it was worth it.

What ridiculous food day is your birthday? Mine is National Cheese Lover's Day. Mr Official Taster's is National Gumbo Day. Ironies abound.

Lindsay from Pinch of Yum addresses the age-old question that plagues every writer - what to write about

On why it matters that women do most of the housework.

“Women don’t want to talk about energy policy, they want to hear about impact on gas prices. They don’t want to talk about Obamacare, talk to them about getting to see their doctor.” It’s a wonder they have a woman problem, right?

No matter what you think about the issue, here's one brave woman's list of the five most surprising things about her abortion.

10 simple words every girl should learn.

Sadly unsurprising. A video asking "what is gluten?" of people who don't eat it.

Pizza makings - how some Italians are using food to fight back against the mafia 

A smart look at the gentrification of Oakland

Of course, what list is complete without a Buzzfeed quiz? This one's about your bucket list

These next few are articles I saved a ways back and then forgot about, so apologies if they seem somewhat dated. Or, "dated" in this fast paced world of ours

There's a proposal to ban all fishing in international waters for a few years in order to ensure species' continued survival

Thinking of starting an urban garden? Be sure to test your soil and investigate your land's history, since there's a lot of chemicals lurking

Do you live in the San Francisco area? Are you a ballet lover between the ages of 21 and 39? Then San Francisco Ballet wants to give you access to inexpensive tickets to great programs. Just sign up

From the New York Times, fake meat that finally tastes like chicken.

For more interesting links, check out all weekend reads here

Weekend Reading

I know it's been a while, but I've pulled together some great links to share with you all. Recipes, good reads, pretty pictures....what more could you want on a Friday?

I've been working a lot both at work and at home, hosting guests, and trying really hard to perfect a few recipes that just haven't been reliable, which makes it impossible for me to post them here for you. I don't want to post things that only work one out of three times. No good for you and no good for me. And no, I don't want to talk about the sad batch of brownies from the other week.

I've also been impatient about wanting summer and all it's fruity bounty to be here already, but at the same time, I'm just not ready to believe that this much of 2014 has flown by already.

What about you? Is time flying by? sitting still? What interesting things have you read or made this week?

I want to make this rug! Or, more realistically I want someone to make it for me.

On being kinder to each other. A good story, an open thread, and lots of good conversations

From the New York Times, fake meat finally tastes real.

Avocado salads in avocados...Smitten Kitchen strikes again

Honey Maid made a commercial. Some people freaked out. They made art in a great response.

Another resource-full post from Pinch of Yum

This looks interesting- has anyone tried 2 Ingredient Pancakes?

mmmmm...homemade Bread & Butter Pickles

Segregated America in pretty pastels. There's a surreal quality to these (or at least to me since I wasn't around then), where I find myself admiring the photos, the light quality, and, yes, the dresses, even while seeing "white only" signs

Pretty pretty poppies

Are you a feminist? BuzzFeed's easiest quiz yet

These mango fruit roll ups look delicious

NYPD tried Twitter and epically failed

Why side projects matter, and the art of succeeding slowly

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend! It's raining here, which is super duper exciting and wonderful. It's not enough, but it's more water than we had yesterday. I feel lucky I got to enjoy it on my day off. I even braved the farmers' market. 

Speaking of water, we haven't had any water related crisis this week, which is also wonderful. What's new with you?

Onto links - please comment with any good reads or recipes you've found recently!

Last time it was bourbon and Girl Scout cookies, this week it's craft beer pairings. 

Small batch Strawberry Kiwi Jam

The editors at The American Scholar magazine have decided on the best sentences in fiction and nonfiction. 

More good news for chocolate lovers- a new study links cocoa powder with happy (good) gut bacteria.

Another win for evolution (sad that we need one) and another strike against big corn- pesky worms have evolved to eat bioengineered corn.

An absorbing article about a father reaching his autistic son through Disney from the New York Times Magazine.   

A funny infographic to solve debilitating grocery store decision-making.  

These Sweet Potato Tacos with Cucumber Salsa sound fabulous.

So do these Chinese Scallion Pancakes.

And speaking of pancakes, can someone make me these Espresso Banana Pancakes? pretty please?

This is what 80 looks like.

Um, 80 million Americans have never heard of hummus. What?

For more interesting links, check out all weekend reads here

Weekly Reading

I know it's no longer the weekend, but rather Tuesday night. But surely you're going to want something good to read when you need a break. So really, my lateness is a service. You're welcome for that.

Mr Official Taster and I made cookies together and I managed to photograph them before we ate them all. So I'm hoping to get up a post later this week. Thank you for bearing with me.

Also, I made this today after work, but it was too dark to take any pretty pictures. I'm hoping to be able to later this week. I'm such a tease.

On to links!

There's a new campaign afoot to #banbossy. I like it. I like it a lot.

Pretty, pretty cookies

Kiss of Light Margarita. What a wonderful name!

It's not exactly new news, but The Daily Show highlighted the double standard in health insurance

Make a swanky new resume

Are you a reader? Probably if you're, uh, reading this. Here's an easy way to get free or very inexpensive ebooks

It's Girl Scout cookie time! Be all hipster cool and pair them with bourbon

And speaking of the Girl Scouts, along with some other folks, they're making a difference for displaced Syrians

This cold noodle salad with creamy peanut sauce sounds very yummy.

I made these single-serving frittatas and they worked out really well. Easy to reheat for breakfasts or lunches.

In our house, we have a very teeny-tiny half bath that needs some sprucing. I'd like to paint the ceiling a similar blue to this one and leave the walls white. Mr Official Taster thinks I'm nuts. What do you think?

Weekend Reading

Happy Weekend! I hope it's a good one. I've got a long list, but it feels like a happy list. It's a beautiful day here in the Bay Area, and I'm looking forward to spending some time outdoors. Well, that and chocolate.

What are you up to this weekend? Is it still snow-covered in the rest of the country, or are you starting to see signs of spring?

Onto links! Please add your own in the comments! I'd love to know what's interesting you this weekend.

This week the husband told me that the Facebook app reads text messages. It's in a new update for Android, but has been going on for some time on iPhone. Not surprisingly, it's part of the terms of service no one (including me) bothers to read, but when I found out, I uninstalled the app from my phone. Unfortunately, that means I can't automatically send Instagram photos to Facebook any more, but that seems like a small price to pay.

O.M.G. David Attenborough narrates Olympic curling and it. is. amazing.

Mr Official Taster has a weird liking of having facial hair. Maybe we could do something like this? Unfortunately he doesn't own one, much less two, dinosaur shirts.

mmmm...Clementine Margaritas

This was a bad week in Kansas AND in Arizona. Americans need to remember that every single one of us could be denied service for some reason, and every single one of us would hate it. And how stubborn it might make us.

An interesting experiment in which women get the star treatment and hate the results. I can relate- I remember getting back some headshots in my previous life and not liking them because my freckles had been erased. The face smiling back at me wasn't my own.

Nutrition is confusing.

A practical guide to picking a light bulb. I know it's not too exciting, but man are there a lot of choices.

Did you know Lincoln (yes, the president) cooked? It seems he did and now you can read about his life, his food, and how the two intertwined.

Still have jam you're trying to get through before the new canning season? Besides ice cream, here are 10 things to do with it (aside from topping toast)

Make your own peppermint patties. please? and then give me some.

Looking for more good reads? Check out all my other Weekend Reading posts.

Weekend Reading

Happy weekend, all! I hope you're having a good one, staying warm, and either relaxing or being productive (whichever your goal is). If you celebrate it, did you have a good Valentine's Day? We don't care too much about it here, but I did get flowers and we cooked dinner together.

Onto links!

I've started a new Pinterest board where I'm sharing Last Night's Dinner. So far, it's been a nice little personal push to keep trying new things and not just throwing together pasta and sauce and a salad again. Some of the recipes are from Short & Sweets, but not all. On Friday we made these veggie burgers and fries, and they turned out pretty well. The fries were especially, surprisingly, good.

A journalist finds that Shaun White is still a good guy after all

A new study reinforces the idea that full fat may not be so bad after all.

Dogs doing good.

A Dallas sports anchor delivers a great response to Michael Sam's critics.

Do you know about forced molt? Apparently (another) horrible aspect of large egg producers is another reason to seek out the happy chickens near you.

I read several good articles about motherhood/parenting this week- was it something in the air? From A Practical Wedding, Meg's look back at her first year of being a mom. Two letters - one from a working mom to a stay-at-home mom and vice versa. Finally, the response of a dad in defense of his wife.

Upworthy delivers again- a French film in which gender roles are reversed. note: brief nudity

Weekend Reading

Happy Sunday! I hope you had a good week. Friday night I really wanted to make cookies, but I chose the (somewhat) healthier approach and tried a new banana bread recipe instead. I should have stuck with a known winner, because, guys, this is perhaps the flattest banana bread in the history of banana bread. It didn't rise hardly at all, and as a result it's intensely dense. It is a good vehicle for peanut butter, but then most things are. So that was a bummer. But in other (happier) news, I gave in to Olympic fever and bought an indoor antenna (we don't have cable). We got this one, and it seems to work really well. I'm excited to park myself in front of the tv and immerse myself in sporting greatness. What are you up to?

Onto the links!

I found this a while ago, forgot about it, and found it again. The numbers may be slightly outdated, but the gist is the same - homemade wins

CVS is awesome! They've decided to give up $2 billion (yes, billion with a b) in annual revenue and stop selling tobacco products this year. They just won my business.

mmmm...Vegetarian Steamed Buns from The Kitchn

Even if you're not living in California, water is a precious resource. Here are almost 200 ways to save.

From NPR, a story about how American farmers and food companies go GMO-free.

Farmers in the midwest are increasingly trying out other fruit and vegetable crops besides corn. Why? Well, money talks, but supportive programs and education and the local food movement are all part of the mix.

Pesto pasta with lemon, spinach, edamame, and toasted almonds sounds like a cure for the winter blues.

Need a fun project? How about some homemade cereal tea?

Speaking of projects, it's great when practical ideas work in the real world, especially when they save babies' lives.

Make your own vegan caramel sauce with almondmilk.

How treating workers better equals better profits. More money for employees, more money for the bottom line. Sounds like a win-win.