Hello friends! Happy Sunday, welcome to it!
How are you? How are you sleeping? Me? Not so much this week. Is it the moon? Hormones? Unconscious stress? All I know is that I’m not alone. So many of you said on Instagram that you can’t sleep either. It’s ok really. I seem to muster the energy to get through the days just fine and I shuffle out of bed in the very early morning to start the coffee pot a few hours early. The sunrises are yellowy pink and the dew on the leaves in the backyard is the sweetest thing.
Despite the lack of rest, this week has been lovely. I’ve rustled several cakes in and out of my refrigerator (one of those recipes for you next week), I’ve talked with my neighbors, I’ve logged some miles running, I’ve chatted with my sister, I’ve worked hard… you know, the whole deal of trying hard in the world.
I hope this finds you well, warm, and with a few minutes to yourself. The offering this week is below. It’s just an offering. Maybe there’s something here that feels like a mirror or something that makes you smile. That’s my hope. As always, take only what you need.
• This week we’ve lost more than 500,000 American’s to COVID and at this point friends, none of us are untouched. I’m deeply sorry for your loss. All of our losses. I’m thankful to the people who step into hospitals and nursing homes everyday to work, for teachers navigating this impossible moment in education, and I commend parents figuring it out everysingleday.
“They are the first responders you never see.” Inside DC’s Secret Covid Morgue. Wait.. what? I finished this read (this reality), and with a heavy sigh said, “wow”. The faith, humanity, the tragedy… it’s all here. (Washingtonian)
• My favorite read of the week: When Love Is Impossible. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love, of course, is the most vulnerable place to be. But that’s the whole point right? Happy and amazed that it even happens at all. (Medium via Ann Friedman)
• An absolutely correct statement. A complete fact. Martha Stewart Is The Original Influencer. (Harper’s Bazaar)
• Stay sexy and, I can not stress this enough, don’t get murdered. How one woman changed the safety standards of the entire car industry. (The Hustle)
• This week I was introduced to the work of Hannah Gumbo, a Louisiana-based muralist. Her work is just so happy and joyful I thought you might like a look at it. (Hannah Gumbo)
• I was up one of these middle of the nights and watched my friend Katherine of Weelicious make chicken and vegetables in her airfryer. I know I know I’m probably the only one without an air fryer but is it time to change that? This is the Phillip’s Air Fryer Katherine uses. I need to negotiate with my bank account and my cupboard space. (Weelicious, Williams Sonoma)
• Handle The Heat on how to bake tall muffins. (I want to insert a Top of the Muffin Seinfeld joke here but I’ve mostly stopped myself.)
• We’re starting to see peeks of spring here in New Orleans which has me fussing in the garden a lot. Let’s be clear, I’m not really doing much of anything but it’s nice to be out there. I learned about Truelove Seeds, a farm-based seed company cultivating culturally important veggies, herbs, and flowers. I really appreciate their philosophy of food sovereignty and cultural preservation through plants. I’m hoping to grow passionflower, rose milkweed, and maybe this red okra? Hopeful but that’s what spring is about! (Truelove Seeds)
• I’ve ordered the latest issue of the vegan journal, Chickpea Magazine. It’s really a thoughtful publication!
• Made homemade almond milk on Friday. Making the almond pulp into these Vegan Gluten-Free Crackers today. (Minimalist Baker)
• If you’re getting up to fix something to eat right after reading this you might consider the Single Lady Pancakes pictured above. (Joy the Baker)
• Next week I’ll share a recipe from the forthcoming book by our friend and truly fantastic cookbook author Julia Turshen. Simply Julia is so personal and universal. Julia just knows how we cook for ourselves. Just this week I made her Spinach and Artichoke Chicken for myself. It’s like a big pot of the dip with chicken pieces as an easy one pot dinner. I can’t recommend this book enough! (Book Larder)
That’s what I have for you today, friends. I’m off to do yoga in the park. Sounds like a Sunday thing, right? Enjoy this day!
My love to you!
xo Joy
samantha campanini
Thank you for these reads Joy!
Sarah
Thank you for all of this! Truly a gift on a Sunday morning. I have a pressing question. Lol. I have gone back and searched previous posts, but can not find the link to those amazing pants you are wearing in this week’s picture. I remember you mentioned them in a previous week and I had wanted to check them out. If possible, can you please share the link or website again? Many many stretchy waisted pants thank yous!
-Sarah
Maggie
No sleep last week because it was leading up to a full moon on Saturday! Happens every time.
joythebaker
The moon gets me too! It’s wild!
Mel
I made the Single Lady Pancakes yesterday as I woke up in the Midwest to a steady rainstorm. When I opened up the cookbook, it’s had nearly 10 years of fingerprints/flour/chocolate in its pages and that recipe is the one I turn to the most often.
Grateful for hanging out with you online for so long.
joythebaker
It’s an honor to be a stained cookbook page in your house! I love it so much.
Amy W
I bought an air fryer for $20 off of Facebook marketplace… I forget why I bought it in the first place but it’s really nice to make a single batch of roasted crispy potatoes in less than the time it would take to preheat my oven (not to mention the energy savings). I think it’s whether or not you foresee yourself using it. That pizza oven you shared a few weeks back is gorgeous but I eat pizza maybe twice a year. It might be perfect for one person and a waste of space for another. You do you, lady!
Martha in KS
I have an airfryer that I got for free from Kohls in exchange for a review. I’m a household of one & use it occasionally – for cooking tater tots & refrigerator biscuits (though it takes 2-3 batches. But I tell people that you don’t NEED one. It does nothing that you can do in an oven or stove. Yes, it’s an easy way to reheat pizza. People hard-cook eggs in it. Why? You can boil an egg in the same amount of time. I say save your $$.
Liz
I have the cuisinart toaster oven/air fryer, because I need a toaster oven anyway – so 2 appliances but only 1 space taken up (and much cheaper than the breville I was coveting). I use it every day as a toaster, but more and more for air frying. I’ve worked up an air fryer donut recipe that hits the spot nicely…
Ellen
I don’t foresee buying an air fryer aaaaanytime soon, so you’re definitely not alone.
Carvell Wallace (writer of the piece on love) was a great co-host on Slate’s “Mom and Dad Are Fighting” parenting podcast. Love him.
Marilyn
I loved your comment about sleeping with the light on in your Single Lady Pancake recipe. I copied all of your recipe, complete with this text, so I will smile whenever I read the recipe!
Kim
As I watched President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’ memorial to the 500,000+ lives lost, I felt heartbroken, so many candles, but still comforted. As if Kamala and Joe have all of us in this huge group hug. And we’re going to make it.
Kristin
Happy Sunday JOY,
I’m a private caregiver and I moved my client in 10 days ago because she still had no power from our horrible storm in Oregon.
Made fried chicken yesterday and your dad’s BISCUITS ??
We spent these last days watching the birds..doing word search books and slow walks…..it’s amazing to spend time with a 97 yr young!!!!.
Always look forward to starting my Sunday morning with you and your thoughts and a great cup of joe?
Deb
what a great post for a sunday morning read. thank you ever so much dear lady.
thanks for the inspirations. (-:
Marisa Crerar
I don’t have an air fryer either, no room for one at the moment. We are doing a kitchen remodel this summer and I’m thinking about getting the instant pot/air fryer combo once I have a place to store it!
Also, The single lady pancake has been a staple for me since I bought your first cookbook years ago! Delicious every dang time!
Sarah
Love my Philips air fryer! Reheats leftover pizza, casseroles and even fried food perfectly. Awesome for our two person household especially in the summer when you don’t want to heat up the entire kitchen by turning on the oven. My current favorite recipe is healthier chimichangas – filled Siete wraps brushed with a little avocado oil, tastes better than deep fried! Gives salmon an amazing crisp top yet not overdone inside. My husband will smoke wings then toss in butter and Frank’s and crisp them in the fryer, they are awesome! And just last night I tossed some pecans in butter and sprinkled with powdered green Chile and nutritional yeast before frying….OMG so good. You won’t regret it!
Amanda
Love the Hannah Gumbo art!! It’s very whimsical and happy! The air fryer ….the price is way too much! Also no more cabinet space! The pancakes amazing as are you! Have a beautiful refreshing day sweetie! God bless ???
Memee
I was an air fryer naysayer,, but my daughter gave me the Ninja for Christmas. Surprisingly, I use it almost every day. Agree with everything Kat O says. The roasted vegetables are really good, especially carrots. Yes, just buy the Ninja.
Kat O
I’m very much anti-single-use-kitchen-appliances (in general I’m anti any appliance that is just a more convenient form of an oven or stove – no Instapots for me thx), BUT we bought an air fryer a couple years ago and I genuinely love having it. Frankly it’s worth it just so I never have to pan-fry tofu again, but I use it more frequently than I thought, and it’s been nice not to waste energy firing up the oven for small batches of roasted veggies, that sort of thing….plus it makes for far superior frozen appetizers, ie Trader Joe’s vegetable samosas which I eat all. the. time. I’d actually recommend finding the cupboard space for it! I wouldn’t pay that much though, we got a Ninja one for like $80 and it works just fine.
Laura Weismann
I thought I was the only one without an air fryer I don’t have anywhere to put it so I’m not buying one, thanks Laura with a tiny kitchen
Georgie
I work at a nursing home. Yesterday was the first day in a year, it seemed to really bother me. I wonder if it was he snow full moon. Sleep lately is very little why…… everyone out there take care.