Daily Roll 4.30.20

More decking to be done today. We finished and by we I mean my Husband and Son finished the main deck 2 weeks ago. Now they are working on hot tub landing and landing for the slider. Good Times!

My Mom had some surgery today. She had a stent put in. It went well. It is a scary time to have a surgery. I always so grateful to my friends and family for the positive thoughts and prayers. I firmly believe those have an impact.

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I thought I would include some dinner inspiration. I think these are budget friendly and can be made ahead as well.

I made Creamy Chicken Shells.
***shells are flexible for all kinds of fillings. And as a plus I could easily find shells on my grocery store shelf. Pasta is still can't be found in great quantities in our area.

Chicken Broccoli Stuffed Shells - Aubrey Swan  (I think these would be able to be frozen too.)

Big Batch Meatballs and Meatloaf - from Carol's Cookbook.  This is a great make ahead idea.

4.29.20 Good Mail

*** This is my 49th post during quarantine. I skipped yesterday. Ever feel like the light of the tunnel has been shut off, I have been feeling a bit like that. 

GOOD MAIL

I received my order of seeds from Floret. Hopefully I will grow more flowers in my cut flower bed. Did anyone watch Chip and JoAnn Gaines special on DIY about Floret's show. I was able to watch free. The DIY network isn't part of my cable package.

Yes, I ordered sour dough starter. Well my husband ordered it for me. Going to give this a shot. Hey hope springs eternal. If you first don't succeed, try try again. Didn't start today but soon.

What Was on the Agenda

School - High School for the youngest. College for the Oldest

I baked cookies. My go to recipe with milk chocolate and peanut butter. It makes a lot which is good for my crowd. Rainy day and cookies is a good combo.

Daily Roll 4.27.20

I spent part of my weekend watching Harry Potter. I have no reason. It sounded like a decent enough idea. I realized I really enjoy those movies. We have the whole series. I made it through the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets and best of all most of my family willingly watched it with me. 

Daily Roll 4.26.20

What We Ate

Yesterday we had smoked pork and poppy seed cornbread . Poppy seeds can be a bit pricey I bought mine at Cash and Carry in a large container. It is a lot more reasonable. I have never looked for them in the bulk bins at Winco. Our Grocery Outlet had pork butt on sale.

Tonight Air Fried Chicken Legs

Co-workers Activities

My youngest beat me at Settler's of Catan. I was so close.

Daily Roll 4.25.20

This cover by the piano guys just came out on Friday of Rascal Flats "Bless the Broken Road". It is so beautiful. Listen to end to hear how you can win a piano/keyboard. How awesome would that be.

I recently purchased a keyboard and have been getting back into playing. I find it so relaxing. I was surprised how much of my piano lessons came back. Sometimes, I still have my piano teacher's voice echoing in my head. I find my teacher's comments and notes in my old music.

My parents brought me a whole box of my music a couple years back. My Mom spent a lot of money on lessons for me. I appreciate it even more as an adult. By the way, our piano was in the basement when I was growing up. It was a big upright.

Daily Roll 4.24.20

How far down the rabbit hole have you gone when you are taking beauty pictures of your Honeypot collection? (Asking for a friend)

Obviously I need to work on a better photo.  Do you like the wall of TP. There is always tomorrow.

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Gretchen Rubin interview with Jen Hatmaker - Connection and Belonging Matter Most

Daily Roll 4.23.20

Scared a baby bunny yesterday out in the yard. 

What is happening at Casa de Honeypot?

Harvested first Rhubarb yesterday. Time to break out rhubarb recipes. I cut up some stalks and put in the freezer. I have 2 rhubarb plants. One has greener stalks (still has red) and I got one that has stunning red stalks. I hope to harvest the stunning red one this year. Rhubarb is plant that you can't harvest the first few years.

Made Chow Mein yesterday for dinner. It was okay. Trying to mix things up a little

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It is National Autism Awareness Month. I was able to see a free screening with my son on a Facebook Live of "Autism Goes to College" . I thought it was interesting and good for my son to see other autistic people doing college.  I loved the different perspectives. They highlighted some of the challenges that neurodiversity brings. My son has experienced some of these things at community college. Higher learning institutions still have a ways to go to support autistic students but I am appreciative that there is a spotlight being shown on the programs and supports that do exist.

Daily Roll 4.22.20

Eleanor Roosevelt Quote

It is a rainy day in the Pacific Northwest. Perfect day for baking or reading. I am having a little trouble in my reading life. I prefer physical books and all the books I want to check out as e-books are checked out. I looked up 7 books and none of them are e-books in my library system. Yes, I have a stack a books that I could read but as a first world problem I am not interested in those books currently. So I did what any quarantined human would do and decided to bake. The recipe below was part of a Reddit thread and caught on like wild fire. 

Baking Project

This is my ode to my Canadian friends. The recipe is from a Canadian Cookbook. Decided to tackle the 5 Roses Peanut Butter Bread. I made a double batch. On both batches increased peanut butter to 1 cup. One batch turned into mini loaves and I added mini chocolate chips.

Daily Roll 4.21.20 Mystery Quick Bread

Well yesterday we had mystery quick bread from the freezer. I believe it was zucchini pineapple. It tasted good but didn't slice very well. There were crumbs everywhere. It was a case of we need some dessert, what is this unlabeled bread. It was a decent surprise.

I thought I would give some links to my favorite quick breads that are more successful. All of these freeze really well. I like making large batches and freezing. I also frequently make them as mini loaves too.

Orange Rhubarb Breakfast Bread - Taste of Home
Pineapple Carrot Bread- Taste of Home
Quick Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Bulk Batch Zucchini Bread - Good Cheap Eats
Dole Classic Banana Bread
Large Family Banana Bread - Raising Arrows

Daily Roll 4.20.20 The Same Storm

So many memes out there that are more serious lately but this one hit me 

 We all are not in the same boat but we all are in the same storm

frog hanging onto rhubarb

What is for Dinner?

Teriyaki Chicken

Rice 

Broccoli
Mystery Quick Bread from the Freezer 

What are my Co-Workers Doing?

Oh there is e-learning for the youngest. He got most of his work done before 10 am. There is some lingering math.

Oldest son is doing college online. It is the first day of the quarter. 

Husband finished the top of the deck yesterday. We still need a step. He is doing his essential duties today

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Quarantine Family Recreates Journey Video Shot for Shot - somewhat local to me

Daily Roll 4.19.20 Coffee Cup Edition

COFFEE IS LIFE

My most interesting coffee cup

I was reading an interesting article about coffee cups- Novelty Mugs. I myself have some preferred mugs.  I have actual discussions about coffee cups about needing to put three fingers through the handle. Laugh if you must but drinking coffee comfortably is serious business. No I don't have any matching mugs.

Celestial Seasons Mug, Hawaii Mug, Dollar Tree Mug
My current crew of favorite mugs. Is it criminal to drink coffee out a Celestial Tea Mug?

Do You Have a Favorite Mug? 

Daily Roll Beardless Edition 4.18.20

Morning Moon

I guess my youngest was tired of me giving me a bad time about his beard so he shaved it off. How will other Sasquatch's recognize him as their own? Was the beard protecting him from the Covid? I have questions.

What is happening at the Honeypot Bunker?

The deck rebuild is coming along nicely.

E-learning went well for the week.  I thought my youngest managed better than expected.

I gardened. I may not be able to make it up the stairs. I cleaned up this bed. I had 2 bags of mulch left over so I used them here. I moved all the mondo grass under the Rhodie and dug out the Rose of Sharon

What is for Dinner?
Take Out

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Daily Roll 4.17.20 Costco

Graphic from Practical Scrapper

Yesterday, I needed to go to COSTCO.  I didn't wanna. I haven't been since March 11th. My best friend were in there together on March 11th and we were surprised that TP and Paper Towels and Bottle Water were sold out.  Oh and I could only find regular peanut butter not chunky. We didn't quite get what this would turn into. We didn't get the magnitude of all this.

Yesterday, I stood in line 6 ft apart from the next person with a mask. I waited about 15 minutes to get in. I did find TP and Paper Towels but no Kleenex . The milk cave had a person monitoring it and was practically bare as they weren't carrying as much milk as the Northern Border is shut down to Canadians. Many many Canadians would shop at our Costco. Milk is one of the things that they buy in bulk. The cashiers stood behind plexiglass and the receipt checkers in plexiglass booths. It is surreal.

Now the world is topsy turvy. A Facebook friend posted something that resonated with me. I am going to re-type here. I consider myself a rule follower or at least work within the rules type of girl so this below is the engima I am feeling where there isn't any real rules or the rules don't mean anything.

Wait What!??

Here are the official Coronavirus guidelines:

1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason, but if you have to, then you can.

2. Masks are useless, but maybe you have to wear one, it can save you, it is useless, but maybe it is mandatory as well.

3. Stores are closed, except those that are open.

4. You should not go to hospitals unless you have to go there. Same applies to doctors, you should only go there in case of emergency, provide you are not too sick.

5. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that sometime it actually leads to global disaster.

6. Gloves won't help, but they can still help.

7. Everyone needs to stay HOME, but its important to GO OUT.

8. There is no shortage of groceries in the supermarket, but there are many things missing, when you go there in the evening, but not in the morning. Sometimes

9. The virus has no effect on children except those it affects.

10 Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested, plus a few tiger here and there....

11.You will have many symptoms when you are sick, but you can also get sick without symptoms, have symptoms without being sick, or be contagious without having symptoms. Oh, my...

12. In order not to get sick, you have to eat well and exercise, but eat whatever you have on hand and it's better not to go out, well, but no..

13. It's better to get some fresh air, but you get looked at very wrong when you get some fresh air, and most importantly, you don't go to parks or walk. But don't sit down, except that can do that now if you are old, but not for too long or if you are pregnant(but not too old)

14. You can't go to retirement homes, but you have to take care of the elderly and bring food and medication.

15. If you are sick, you can't go out, but you can go to the pharmacy.

16. You can get restaurant food delivered to house, which may been prepared by people who didn't wear masks or gloves. But you have to have your groceries decontaminated outside for 3 hours. Pizza too?

17. Every disturbing article or disturbing interview starts with "I don't want to trigger panic, but..."

18. You can't see your older mother or grandmother, but you can take a taxi and meet an older taxi driver.

19. You can walk around with a friend but not with your family if they don't live under the same roof.

20. You are safe if you maintain the appropriate social distance, but you can't go out with friends or strangers at the safe social distance.

21.The virus remains active on different surfaces for two hours, no, four, no six, no, we didn't say hours, maybe days? But it takes a damp environment. Oh no, not necessarily.

22. The virus stays in the air- well no, or yes maybe, especially in a closed room, in one hour a sick person can infect ten, so if it falls, all our children were already infected at school before it was closed. But remember, if you stay at the recommended social distance, however in certain circumstances you should maintain a greater distance, which, studies show, the virus can't travel further, maybe.

23. We count the number of deaths, but we don't know how many people are infected as we have only tested so far those who were "almost dead" to find out if that's what they will die of...

24. We have no treatment, except that there may be one that apparently is not dangerous unless you take too much (which is the case with all medications).

25. We should stay locked up until the virus disappears, but it will only disappear if we achieve collective immunity, so when it circulates... but we must no longer be locked up for that?

Daily Roll 4.16.20 Sour Dough FLOP Edition

Okay the internet is full of everyone making their own sourdough starter and making sourdough. I caved and I am giving it a shot. Is it quarantine peer pressure? Does this count as Chemistry for my youngest? My family loves sourdough bread. I have been splurging the last couple of month and buying sourdough at the grocery store. 

My previous attempt at sourdough No cute pizza guy to hold my hand this time.

Method I am using to make my starter is from I am Homesteader

On Day 3 of my starter, I saved my discarded starter and made waffles on Day 4.  Sourdough Waffles

WHERE IT ALL WENT WRONG

I started feeding my starter with all purpose flour just the store brand. I was using whole wheat flour Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat at the beginning. I still had bubbles but no rise. I think that is where I went wrong. I kept feeding to the 7th day but the starter didn't pass the float test.

OTHER INTERESTING SOURDOUGH LINKS

King Arthur Sourdough Starter Method

Good Cheap Eats and her sourdough method

Man Bakes Sour Dough from 4500 year old Egyptian Yeast

BOOKS ABOUT SOURDOUGH (non cookbook reads)

52 Loaves by William Alexander (my review) Non-fiction This is a great book about William's quest for the perfect loaf

Sourdough, or Lois and her Adventures in the Underground Market by Robin Sloan (my review) Fiction This is a crazy quirky book.

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Sourdough Backlash - I started with flour I had on. I have seen flour not the really high quality flour at the grocery store. I totally get the backlash. However we (Americans) waste food all the time and on the scale of waste. It isn't much in the scheme of things.  I used a recipe used less flour to begin with. I learned a lot. Will I give making a wild yeast starter a go again? - maybe.

Daily Roll 4.15.20 Me and Grizzly Adams

I love my youngest but his beard and hair is starting to remind me of Grizzly Adams. Oh and he is only 17 years old but soon to be 18.

Do you see the resemblance?

What is for Dinner?

balsamic butter noodles, asparagus, and ham

ham and eggs for the children

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Business Mullet - Business on the top and Party on the bottom (shorts/pajamas etc) I just heard this term and it cracks me up.

10 Pioneer-era Apples thought extinct found in US West Just interesting and cool

What I Read April

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy's Quick Lit. Check out what everyone else is reading.

I don't know about you but my reading life has been put on hold. At this beginning of this quarantine I was a single parent as my husband was away on a work assignment and my general anxiety has made reading hard. But I think I am adjusting and ready to get back to reading. I mainly get my books from the library. Our library is shut down and only e-books are available.

A Killing in Amish Country by Gregg Olsen and Rebecca Morris. Nonna (MIL) has been reading everything by Gregg Olsen that she could get her hands on. I read Starvation Heights a ways back and this was the only Gregg Olsen book that I could get my hands on at the time. This is a sad true story but well told. Barbara Weaver's husband was living a double life with internet, sexting, and girlfiends. It is a true story about domestic abuse and the death of  Barbara Weaver. Anyone else fascinated by the Amish?

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor is a shared Community Read for our library system. This book was made available with unlimited downloads as an e-book. It is a young adult book. Mason Buttle is an interesting character who has dyslexia and has a very interesting home life. He lives in a orchard that is surrounded by new developments. He also sweats a lot. He doesn't fit in and other kids bully him. It is a good story and fairly fast pace. I read it in one day. I think this would make a good family read for families with tweens and teens. It covers neurodiversity, class, grief, bullying, and unintended consequences.

Daily Roll 4.14.20

Sometimes it is the little things. Happiness is finding your wreath you bought on clearance and hanging it on your door. It is Hearth and Hand from Target last year

What is for dinner?
hamburgers
fries
beets

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WA, OR, and CA make coronavirus pact - All I could think when I read this was this gotta be the only time anybody has ever made a pact with California. Is this some kind of April fool's joke?

Daily Roll 4.13.20 E- Learning Edition

Graphic from Practical Scrapper

Spring Break is over at the Honeypot. It is time to start E-Learning adventure for the youngest. It was a bit of an adventure and hard to get back to the learning.My oldest college is going to be all online starting next week. He already takes hybrid courses which includes online and in person so I think this transition will be easier for him.

What is for Dinner
teriyaki chicken
rice
peas
Key Lime Cheesecake - Husband brought this home from local dairy. DELISH and a great surprise.


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Because this funny. Check out the video below

Daily Roll 4.12.20 Easter Edition

What is for Easter Dinner?

Sourdough Waffles -made with starter discard

Ham - We finally ate my security ham. It has been in my freezer for a while. I bought it on sale. We doctored it up

Rolls

Deviled Eggs

Baked Pineapple Custard This is really really delish

beans

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Experts Say We Are In The Hair Dye Phase of Panic Buying

My Crew
I need some hair dye

Daily Roll 4.11.20

Baking is on the brain. I actually dreamed about my sourdough bread starter last night. Anyone else having vivid dreams?

Graphic from Practical Scrapper

The day started rainy but it turned sunny but windy. Husband worked on rebuilding the deck.

I worked on this and that mainly laundry. I worry about how people aren't physical distancing. The nicer weather here makes people get out and enjoy it. I don't mind that part but people aren't physical distancing. My friend made me a mask. It has giraffes on it. It is super cute.

What is for dinner?
Smoked Pork Chops
Potato Salad

To Be Baked List (TBB)
Some people have a to be read list (actually me) but today I decided to make to be baked list -TBB list. These are all items I have never made except the sourdough bread.

Reddit Peanut Butter Bread - my sister told me about this (updated link 4.22.20)
No Knead Rosemary Parmesan Skillet Bread - Handle the Heat
English Muffin Bread -Barefeet in the Kitchen
Sourdough Bread **did a very quarantine thing and made starter - whole post coming
Sourdough Waffles
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Chocolate Chip Brioche Soft Pretzels -Smitten Kitchen
English Muffins - Cookies and Cups
Homemade Sticky Buns - Beyond the Butter

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If you need a laugh check out 17 Quarantine Baking Fails

Daily Roll 4.10.20

It is Friday at last. I don't even know what Friday means anymore. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood

What is for Dinner?
Chicken Bacon Subs
corn
Brownies from a box - a brownie is a brownie

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What is Home Management? With all of us spending a lot of time in our homes this is a good topic to revisit. I am big admirer of Jessica.

Quarantine Queen Episode #5 - Jenn Hatmaker and Ann Bogel (Modern Mrs Darcy) Need some read suggestions can't go wrong with suggestions from Ann

Daily Roll 4.9.20 Lost Day Edition

I have officially lost track of what day of the week it is. It is all blending together here at the Honeypot Bunker. I wished my friend Happy Birthday today but it is actually tomorrow.

What is for Dinner?
Carne Asada on Tortillas with all the toppings (lettuce, sour cream, tomato, avocado)
Corn

What I have been working on?
I have been feeling pretty creative. Maybe I am finally adjusting to this quarantine.

Yesterday I made some homemade cards. I have a cricut. My cutting blade is pretty dull but my cricut can draw. It's a case of we have the TECHNOLOGY.

I also broke through a brick wall I had on my Ancestry.com tree. I love that when that happens. I also have finished the prompt 52 ancestors: Water. There is a legend about my 6th great grandfather Basil Pranther. Check out that post here

I am working on a graduation photo book - "Called Good Bad Advice"  It is going to have a lot of my funny t-shirt and letter board pictures.

Last of the Roll

Tigger King Is A Wild Ride. And Largely Misleading - Like Duh!  I think the majority who watch this think that. I think Outside magazine gives Carol Baskins a pass on a lot. I am not sure that she isn't any better than the rest. But they do make some valid points.

52 Ancestors: Water

I love a good tale involving treasure especially gold and sea battle.

Basil William Prather (1742-1822) was my 6th great grandfather on my mother's maternal side. He fought in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Camden in North Carolina for General Gates. He was shot in the leg and would limp for the rest of his life. I found this story on Ancestry. I cannot verify anything but the fact that for a time Basil did live in North Carolina and his twin brother lived in Kentucky.

The Tale

There is a family tale that states that Basil Prather leased land along the coast of North Carolina and while riding near the beach on his property, he witnessed a sea battle. One of the ships exploded and while the battle continued, sections of this ship washed ashore. Basil was said to have found much treasure which included gold. Shortly afterwards he sold his property and moved west because questions were being asked by officials regarding the gold that was carried by the ship that had washed ashore.

It was know that he moved to Kentucky and there is a document found showing that he had buried gold under a log house which was located across the river from his home. He paid Bill Hatfield $10 to dig up the gold hidden under this log cabin. The amount of gold is unknown, but $10 in this day and time was a lot of money to pay for a common laborer to dig up anything. The log cabin was located near Magnet, Indiana. After moving to Kentucky he was involved with surveying. One of those areas that he surveyed was in Fayette County, Kentucky where his twin brother Baruch William "Peter" Prather later built his plantation home about 6 miles southeast of present day Lexington , Kentucky.

**** I edited the original story a bit to make it flow better

Daily Roll 4.7.20

My Picture of the Pink Moon

My Husband's Picture of Pink Moon

Nonna's Picture of the Pink Moon 

What is for Dinner?

Spinach Tortellini Soup inspired by Joann Gaines
Semolina Bread (made yesterday)

This meal was several days in the making as I made the broth from a whole chicken yesterday. My husband can't have garlic and onion which is contained in most commercial broths.

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I haven't put any COVID-19 information on this blog because I think we have enough of that information out in the universe but I read something in regards to COVID-19 and autism. Because this information is not widely circulated I am going to post here - Possible Autistic Vulnerability to COVID -19. I live with an autistic person and I am their caregiver. It is good to be informed.

Daily Roll 4.7.20

graphic from Practical Scrapper

Anyone else screen shot all the funny memes. Well, I have been and putting it into Project Life. In case you didn't know Project Life is a free scrapbooking app. It is pretty fabulous. It works for apple and android. I might have a bit of a screen shot problem.

What is for Dinner?

Hamburgers
Fries
Beans

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Kitchen Clutter - Emily Henderson. I talked about that a little here as well. Is there anything in your kitchen set up that is driving you crazy?  I had too much on my counters. I needed to eliminate some items from the counter top like a Keurig I didn't use. I am wiping these down a lot more and every evening I am wiping all high touch surfaces with Lysol so having a lot of stuff I need to move every night is annoying.

Daily Roll 4.6.20 Spring Break

really old picture

Deep from the Honeypot Bunker spring break has begun for my youngest.

What is for Dinner?

Roast Beef Sandwiches

Balsamic Butter Noodles with Asparagus - Recipe from Ciderpress Lane. First time making going to give it a shot. It was delicious but kids not fans but more for my Husband and I.

What are my Co-Workers Doing?

Youngest worked on deck deconstruction. Word came that there is no in person school for the rest of the school year maybe not in the fall either. 

Oldest went to the grocery store with me. (More about that below) We had ordered him a new scooter. The brand is Lucky. It is a pro scooter. It was his lucky day!

Husband went to work as essential personnel.

Today's Deep Thoughts

It is really weird to que up for a line to get into the grocery store. It is mostly a silent line. It feels really strange and eerie. It feels wrong. I understand the need. Both my son and I had on masks. It was good while we were outside. They keep your face warm. I would say about 65% of people were wearing them. I thought that was encouraging. I got really overheated towards the end of my shop. My oldest had a really hard time with it both the line and just that it was a change. I thought the store was less stocked than last Monday. It was so overwhelming.

Daily Roll 4.5.20

I think my husband needs to join puzzlers anonymous. Another 1,000 piece puzzle complete. This one was of the Seattle Skyline. This is the 2nd of our quarantine. He is essential personnel tomorrow so his puzzling endeavors are probably going to be curtailed.

What is for Dinner?

Pizza - Yes we are ordering pizza. Got to end the week strong or start the week strong. Something along those lines.


What have my co-workers doing?

We are paying my youngest in electronic goods to take apart our deck. It is quite the motivator. The top was warped. Hadn't planned on doing that but when you got available labor you got to put it to work. It has taken him about a week to get it all taken apart. We were able to make a dump run yesterday. We are saving the framing and making a smaller deck.

Misc

In the Kitchen with JoAnn Gaines - This was a special on Food Network and was basically filmed by her kids. It was really enjoyable. Everything she showed was so doable and looked really delicious