Dinner: A Love Story

I have a love affair with Dinner: A Love Story. Last summer I was on Summer Project in Breckenridge, CO with a $30 gift card and a newly pregnant belly. As I browsed this quaint and eclectic store on Breck's Main Street, I tossed around the idea of a new scarf, an iPhone case, or anything from their adorable handmade children's section. Then I found, tucked away in the corner, a stack of about 10 cookbooks. My heart peeked up a little, kind of like a dog's ears do when they hear something interesting, and I started browsing. 

I immediately fell in love when I read the words "Dinner: A Love Story." Um, YES and Amen. An internal happy dialogue with the book begins: "Dinner. A love story? You're describing my life right now, book!" I thumbed through the pages and fell more and more in love. A gift card well spent, my friends.

Jenny Rosenstrach's NEW book "Dinner: The Playbook" comes out TODAY (!!!!) so in honor of this amazing day in history, here are my thoughts. For every friend who left a comment on insta inquiring about this book and who complimented the yummy food when you joined us for dinner, here it is.

Because I'm a lover of videos, here's Jenny's video explanation of the book //

Isn't she romantic about family dinner? Yet realistic and helpful all at the same time? In a world where you can download any recipe, I still appreciate the written word and see a huge amount of benefit in having a book to hold. You can write in it and take notes on each recipe, as I did, and it is something tangible to be passed down to the next generation. That's something you just can't do with a Pinterest board. 

Great Grandma Turano’s Meatballs

Jenny Rosenstrach wants to make family dinner a ritual in your home, and she does an incredible job both inspiring you to do it and giving you the practicals on how to get it done. It's definitely worth reading cover to cover. I first dug into it as if it were a novel, lusting over her scrumptious colored photography and relishing the peek into new motherhood I was about to embark on. I then went back through and cooked meal after meal, page after page, all the way through. I'll be honest, more traditional cookbooks turn me off. I really am only interested in a few things: breakfast, dessert and most importantly: dinner. When I want a recipe, it's almost always for dinner. Are you the same way? Where other cookbooks leave me lacking, Dinner: A Love Story delivers simple and authentic recipes that could happen in anyone's kitchen from the beginner to the pro. She also throws a few cocktails in there as well as tips and recipes for entertaining. 

Chicken Pot Pie.....one of our household staples

I felt challenged by Jenny to stock my pantry with spices I had never used before. She admonishes her readers to take the risk of buying those ingredients that would usually be a "page-turner" for you. You know we all have them, the ingredients we see that make us turn the page or click away from a recipe. I used to be just as guilty of this (and sometimes still am) when I see ingredients that just don't seem to fit into our daily cooking profile. I loved that she asserts that if we have these ingredients in our kitchen, we are more likely to use them, making our cooking more adventurous and allowing us the joy of the experience. This has been so true for me as I grow as a cook and expand the flavors we know and like!

For a good portion of 2013, this book was my dinner time inspiration, my reading material by the pool, and my guide for "nesting recipes" when my little one was born. I flipped through it's pages multiple times as I read it like a novel, cooked through it like a manual, and referenced it like a dinner encyclopedia. In fact I've used it so much the binding fell apart! It's safely bunched together on my kitchen recipe stand, as we just made Chicken Curry with Apples last week. 

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is learning the beauty of sharing a meal with the ones they love. Maybe you're new to cooking your own meals. Maybe you just ventured into preparing healthier options, or maybe you just want a book full of tried and true, real life recipes you can enjoy. Either way, this cookbook is for you. 

I purchased this cookbook on my own, and was not compensated for this post. These are simply my honest thoughts in hopes that you too can benefit. *All photos taken from http://www.dinneralovestory.com/

The Timi & Leslie Rachel: Diaper Bag Love

Pregnant friends and new mama's, do you need a diaper bag?  

Probably. Want something that will last on into toddler years and beyond without it being so...diaper bag-ish? That's what I was looking for. When I started my search for a diaper bag, I was very surprised to find the selection so....terrible. I literally could not find one.cute.bag.anywhere. Now of course after having Reaghan I have found several that are chic and practical. That always seems to happen, doesn't it?

That being said, I'm really loving my new diaper bag. I originally purchased a Skip Hop one that I also loved. It was a white and blue striped bag that fit a ton of stuff, but it couldn't pass off as anything other than a diaper bag. AND it broke within 2 months of my daughters life. So naturally it took me another 4 months to make my way to Nordstrom and exchange it. When I arrived at the Customer Service counter, sweet Pamela told me that they no longer carried that style anymore and I could choose anything else online. After scanning Pamela's iPad for an unreasonably long time, I walked away empty handed. Nothing suited my taste or preferences. 

These were my non-negotiable's for a diaper bag: 

- pockets -- it had to have several pockets for easy organizing
- stylish and "goes" with anything I might be wearing
- easy to clean
- cross body strap for hands-free/shoulder-free carrying
- changing pad included
- easy access to anything I needed in a few seconds or less

I'm efficient. As you can tell I kind of gravitate toward mobility and simplicity. Never do I want to be caught with sweet Reaghan in my arms, my water cup in my hand, groceries on the other arm, and a bag that is falling off my shoulder or weighing me down. It was also important to me that it wasn't so "baby-ish" for when Reaghan and any future kids get older. I knew there would be a day when I needed to throw lunches, snacks, school forms, toys and games in a big bag long after diapers and wanted a bag I could really live in. A bag I would buy for myself regardless and that was practical for all my kid years as well as sophisticated. I guess I wanted it all!

Timi & Leslie did it right with their Rachel design and have obviously given great thought to what their bags include. Each style comes with all the following accessories, and many of their styles are super cute! It's about twice the price as my original bag but comes with a TON more that in my mind makes it worth the cost.

Here are the bonus items not on my list but that totally sold me:

- wet bag for dirty diapers or clothes (a must for this cloth-diapering mama)
- insulated bottle tote
- easy to reach key fob
- style...the bag is just plain cute 

Their bags also include stroller straps and a wallet clutch. These really weren't needs for me, but I know for some mom's they might really come in handy. 

If you know me at all then you know I rarely pay full price for anything. If I need something for the house I'm going to the thrift store, and I certainly am using google to find the best deals on anything I purchase online. I ordered my bag from Bliss Living and found a coupon code for $15 off and free shipping! 

So far I am really enjoying this bag. If you're a new mom I'd love to hear what you're looking for in a diaper bag or other brands you love. Let me know in the comments below!

“The Timi & Leslie Rachel: Diaper Bag Love” is part of a blog relaunch series entitled 
"31 Days of Responding to Him" 

Follow along here