Friday Reading & Eating

What I'm eating and reading this week:

How spring-y and simple and beautiful does this salad look? (Thanks, Phyllis!)

Saints for All Occasions took me a week to finish but only because I didn't want it to end. Best novel I've read in a long time.

Oldie but goodie on the dinner line-up next week: Enchiladas. (You can use any mole.)

Read of the Week: Crossing the River No Name.

Listen of the Week: David Sedaris talks about his new book on Fresh Air.

Listen of the Week, part 2: J.J. Redick on the Bon Appetit Foodcast. Trust me on this: So many fascinating facts about nutrition and exercise...plus aren't you curious about what and how much NBA players eat on game day?

In the "never gets old" department: Jacques Pepin dicing an onion.

Last week, thanks to a very nice writer who Andy edits, the family got to hang out in the Stephen Colbert Green Room during a show. And thanks to some very nice producers, we got to nosh on some seriously delicious indie snacks while doing so. Our favorites: Solar Popped Corn from BjornQorn (made with nutritional yeast, wowowow); Earl Grey Shortbread from Cafe Warshafsky; Raspberry Lemon Energy Bars from Bearded Brothers; and artisan potato chips from Billy Goat Chip Company.

Cool, healthy Noodle Salads you can bring to every summer party. (Or your own dinner table.)

The real benefit of youth sports: kindness.

The prettiest pitcher. (In our house it's always filled with Grady's.)

Is Baked Alaska making a comeback?

"Making a Marriage Magically Tidy:" Prepare to laugh out loud.

#HappyNationalDonutDay! Herewith: 12 Homemade Doughnut Recipes (PS: OMG!)

Lastly, today seems like a good day to remind everyone of how much good you all gave to the world last year when I introduced you to Family-to-Family, a national nonprofit that is near and dear to this blog. If you recall, FTF matches sponsors with families in need, and every month that sponsor gives money towards the grocery bill (usually about $35) plus personal care items, or specific donations like soccer cleats or school supplies or items requested through letters. The Sponsor a Family program now helps families in twenty-seven communities nationwide and last Thanksgiving, almost thirty big-hearted readers in the DALS community signed up to be sponsors. (I still get goosebumps thinking about how immediate and generous your response was.) The program keeps growing, and as of right now approximately 30 to 35 new families are looking for assistance. If you find yourself in a position where you might be able to help, once again I'd like to ask: please consider sponsoring. (Bonus: The first twenty people to do so will receive a vintage, almost-out-of-production "Make Dinner: Not War" bumper sticker. Please include your address when you email me confirmation to jenny AT dinneralovestory DOT com.)

THANK YOU BEAUTIFUL READERSHIP! And have a great weekend.