Hi friends! Happy Sunday.
You floored me. I read every single one of your comments on the blog this week and it was deeply humbling. You all were so generous. I’m really so thankful we’re all here together every Sunday. If you’ve never commented, thank you for peeking out to wave ‘heeey!’. I love it. Please feel comfortable going back to your quiet enjoyment of this page. I’m just glad to know you’re here. And here is exactly where we are! Taking a moment today. Feels steady.
How are you feeling this weekend? Planning for a holiday? A different sort of holiday than we ever anticipated, to be sure. What I do know about my Thanksgiving is that it will be entirely different from the 18 friends I had around the table in the backyard last year. This year there will be a Turkey Pot Pie and we’re good with that.
It’s all weird and feels endless but here we are just doing our everyday as best we can.
The offering this week is below. Please take good care and take only what you need:
• It’s all still happening and we’re overwhelmed. (AP)
• Our must read of the week: What if Instead of Calling People Out, We Called Them In. (New York Times)
• Ok I’m going to need this level of passion when you bake and taste Dad’s Sweet Potato Pie (colorful language and all, please) Review of Patti LaBelle’s Sweet Potato Pie. (Joy the Baker and YouTube)
• Our friend Ree Drummond brought us a new book this week! Frontiers Follies: Adventures in Marriage and Motherhood in the Middle of Nowhere I’m enjoying it. It’s the kind of book I’m going to give to my mom after I finish. (Amazon)
• These plants are BUSY: How much your houseplants move in a day. (Moss and Fog)
• I feel like Polly nails it with this one: Why Can’t I Stop Lying All The Time? I can remember a time when I would lie to avoid criticism or conflict. I think part of getting older is a) not giving a hoot and b) learning how to sit in discomfort. But this article also reminded me of something Oprah said in her book The Wisdom of Sundays about growing past the lies that you tell to yourself. Oh snap. The work is never done. (The Cut and Parnassus Books)
• Feel free to file this under: Things I Had No Idea Joy Cared About, but… I absolutely watched John Mayer talk about very fancy and very special Rolex watches and I think he has incredible taste and great insights. Ok wow sorry. (Hodinkee)
• This week I listened to Wynonna Judd talk about ‘Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain’ on a podcast called One by Willie. Which reminded me of this Revisionist History episode about the devastation of country songs. (Texas Monthly and Revisionist History)
• If you’re looking for the best Pecan Pie on the internet, The Pancake Princess has really done the legwork for you. Also, remember my very old Parker House Roll recipe (what’s up 2010)? Well, turn out they hold up and were voted very high in the in her Parker House Roll bakeoff! (The Pancake Princess and Joy the Baker)
• Quick note from the internet: owls have long legs. (Google)
• It’s been so wonderful seeing so many of you bake from Joy the Baker Magazine already this holiday! If you don’t yet have your copy – heck, what are you waiting for!? Pick up a copy at your local grocery store with your Thanksgiving groceries or buy it online with the link above. I appreciate your support and I love that you’re baking along with me. (Also, I’m only very lightly raging at the one random 2 star rating. It’s fine, is what I’m going to keep telling myself.) (Amazon)
• Maybe you’d like to take this orange and clove tree on as your long weekend holiday decor project. I’m VERY INTO THIS but I’m not yelling. (Instagram)
• Versace or Versausage? (Seemore)
That’s the offering today. If nothing else I hope you laughed at the owl legs. Take good care of yourself and have a beautiful day, friend!
My love to you.
xo Joy
Marilyn
I was SO excited to see your magazine at our checkout counter in Colorado!!! I have decided since it will be a very small Thanksgiving, that I am making your dad’s Sweet Potato Pie as our side dish this year, instead of my usual sweet potato casserole. It seems like a good year for dessert for dinner! And, the meringue will put some extra protein on our plates!!!
Jane
Thank you for so many great offerings! What a beautiful singing voice from the Patti LaBelle Pie video person! ..amazing.
Kristin Law
Hi girlie..as always love my Sunday morning with you.
Well my birthday was last Saturday and I (or the universe) decided to SLOW this gal down with a unfortunate fall:( :(
16 stitches in eyebrow and a swollen foot!!
Sooooo……after resting and being a good patient for 8 days now I will be scooting around kitchen with my boot on…your magazine ( which hello….10 Starz!!!!!) All week baking away..My kitchen is my happy place and you my dear are one of my faves.
Cheers to 54:)… Cheers to my favorite season and holiday.This too shall pass.
Sending blessings
Elizabeth Thompson
I got your magazine last week and immediately made the cornbread. Who knew browning the butter would make such an incredible difference in flavor? (Well, obviously you knew). Thank you for all the wonderful recipes and for the glimpses into your life and New Orleans culture.
Amanda
Wow, no. I very much enjoyed your posts on Sunday when it was clear you had a political position, as gentle and kind as you were about it.
But after the backlash from actual Nazis you bring us… an article against a made-up issue (“cancel culture” doesn’t exist) and hey, here’s a dose of the very apolitical (but small-town wealthy Christian so you know exactly what that means) Ree Drummond. I’ll come back for a recipe or two, but not for your Sundays. I’m done. November 2020, of all possible times, is not when you preach unity. There’s a literal coup in progress as I type.
shawneen hammer
Talk about opinions
Lisa
Are you under the impression that Joy writes this just for you? I’m so sorry that this post wasn’t catered to your specific ideals. Really, the nerve…
joythebaker
Sounds like you didn’t find anything you needed here.
Demethra Pinkston
Period!
Vaughan
Hey Joy,
You just seem to be one of those folks that throws good stuff into the universe and that makes me glad you’re there.
Thank you and keep at it – you’re appreciated.
I live on the gulf coast in the Panhandle of FL and love me some NOLA (was a Jazz fest junkie all thru the 80’s and 90’s plus too).
Maybe I can take one of your classes in our reconfigured future. Hope so!
You keep on doing what you do so well.
You’re a gust of clean clear wind.
thanks!!
Rose
Thank you Joy for your Sundays with us. Your musings from the internet always make me think, sometimes challenge me and allow me a time to stop and see what is out there in our beautiful world! Oh ya, and your baking is beyond amazingly WOW!! Sending socially distant hugs from western Canada. xo
Denae
Honestly just thank you for understanding what a cultural gift and brilliant mind John Mayer is. I’d listen to him talk about laundry detergent, and no one ever agrees with me.
joythebaker
Oh he’s very polarizing but the dude knows watches if nothing else.
Emily
Oh man. Eagles have long legs too. Caught me off guard when I saw it the first time. So cute.
Catherine C.
The owl legs… borderline disturbing, if I am honest. Great offerings as always!
Darla Layton
Happy Sunday.Joy! It truly will be an odd, and difficult holiday season, this crazy 2020. We sadly had to make the decision not to see our daughters for Thanksgiving. They live in Georgia, we live in Indiana. I cried, but it is better than having to plan funerals…so, here we are. Our plan is to FaceTime often, and even put up our Christmas trees together Black Friday. This strange time will pass. We can do hard things. Thanks for the reminder, Glennon Doyle.
You helped me with a gift for my in-laws today. They are so difficult to buy for, but love good meat, so I ordered sausages from Seemore this morning; the variety pack. I’ll even print out the suggested recipes to help them with ideas.
So, for now, we do us one day at a time. Currently, laundry is tumbling in the washer and dryer. Kitties are napping, all snuggled in, and I am being an elf, going over the Christmas list and checking it twice.
Happy Thanksgiving! This will be a year to thoughtfully count our blessings.
Kim
I’m the Pie Lady on Thanksgiving, baking 8-9 pies for 30 or so people. This year, it’s two humans, 2 dogs. But I never considered NOT baking your dad’s sweet potato pie. I’m only making what I want to eat: turkey, lumpy mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, and fudge pecan pie. And no one there forcing food on me.
So cool to watch those plants move. I know my cyclamens are busy. It’s been so grey, overcast, poor things are straining for light and I’m giving a 1/4 turn daily to keep them from leaning too far. They’re showing off for the season!
Catherine Killeen
I love that long owl legs made it into the Sunday links! As always, thank you for this post that grounds me and helps conclude my work week. xo
Lisa Taylor
Has anyone tried mixing the Parker house rolls and letting the dough sit overnight in the refrigerator before shaping?
joythebaker
Oh it would absolutely work!
Lisa
Dear Joy, I can’t comment on the 2 star rating, but at 4:33am, I’m reading your blog!
Thank you for your time, efforts, insights and offerings that I will find “Joy” in the partaking.
Happy Sunday, and all the days that follow.
Graciously, Lisa