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cozy dinners to make when it’s cold out
there is no season that inspires me more to get in the kitchen and cook a cozy sunday night meal for the family! i have googled “cozy dinner recipes to make in autumn” or “cozy dinners to make in winter” or some variation of that countless times, so i decided a little list of cozy recipes to inspire your cozy cold weather dinners was in order (and as a place i can come back and reference when i’m also in need of inspiration!)
you’ll notice this list has a lot of chicken on it, because – chicken is cozy. duh.
you may also notice a plethora of alison roman recipes, because also duh!and ps – i made an autumn spotify playlist and a cooking playlist that are perfect music to cook to if i do say so myself!
sausage & butternut squash pasta
this pasta could not be cozier! i’ll forever put fried sage leaves on top of almost every pasta i eat when it’s chilly out.
recipe here
dilly bean stew with cabbage and frizzled onions
one of our go-to’s, it’s easy enough to make on weeknights and the leftovers are just as tasty.
we just love this soup so much, we even refer to autumn as dilly bean stew season!recipe here
roast chicken
obviously there are a million ways to roast a chicken, i am a sucker forever for one with some roasted carrots, onions and stuffing.
but ever since i made this anchovy butter chicken, i can’t see a scenario where i could make a more delicious chicken using a different recipe! my anchovy hating relatives were literally fighting over the carcass (don’t tell anyone about the anchovy if they’re squeamish! they won’t know!)
anchovy-butter chicken with chicken fat croutons
steamed mussels with white wine
a big vat of mussels with some crusty bread (or fries!)?! what’s cozier than that?! i used to make mussels all the time pre-kids because they’re shockingly easy to make but feels so fancy and festive.
recipe here
chicken pot pie
i mean what is cozier than a warm chicken pot pie!? i am obsessed with (you guessed it) alison romans version where she uses storebought puff pastry – it’s sooo good. i always make pot pie with a rotisserie chicken to save myself the time.
recipe here
chicken with buttered onion rice
so this specific recipe was delicious but i found it a little time consuming, so i’ve started doing it with pre-chopped onions instead to save time. i loooove this rice! it’s like grown up rice-a-roni!
recipe here
turkey chili
i never really make chili often even though i love it (arlo has an aversion to beans!) bu6t this recipe has INCREDIBLE reviews!
recipe here
winter squash soup
i have been making this soup for years – it’s SO easy and always delicious (totally easy enough for a weeknight, especially if you use pre-prepared butternut squash). i love it with crème fraîche, some fried sage leaves and homemade crusty croutons.
recipe here
bolognese
while i loooove a good meaty bolognese, i’ve actually yet to find MY perfect bolognese recipe (i’ve tried a few but still searching for the one). people love this one but if you have one you absolutely love i’d love to know about it.
recipe here
thai meatball soup
this recipe has been on my list forever, hoping i’ll finally try this winter, it looks amazing and is so highly reviewed.
recipe here
shalloty tarragon chicken thighs
another one that’s easy enough to make on a weeknight, it’s so delicious and french and my whole family loves it so much.
recipe here
one pot chicken with caramelized lemons and dates
the first time i ever made this, my husband actually freaked out about how good it was. i love to make it with way extra dates and extra shallots.
recipe here
tangy brisket with fennel and herbs
OOOOOMG. this. brisket. recipe. we couldn’t deal with how good it was. it is absolutely going to be our go-to brisket for every jewish holiday from here on out. it’s incredible! and of course it’s by the one and only alison roman.
recipe here
leek galette
i’ve never met a leek galette i didn’t love, this one looks amaaaazing, trying immediately. (i’ve also made this one a couple times but it’s paywalled now!)
recipe here
i will continue to add to this list, but i hope this inspires your cozy dinners 🙂
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cucumber and yogurt crostinis
it’s basically tzakaki on bread, but these are sooo good. my FIL has been making them every summer for years and i always look forward to it, so i realized i could start doing it myself!
it’s a super simple recipe, perfect for chill summer dinners or entertaining –but i promise it will impress all of them! my stepdad was over the other day and shocked how good they are.
cucumber and yogurt crostinis
basically tzakaki on bread! perfect for chill summer dinners or entertaining but still impressive and tastyIngredients
- baguette
- olive oil
- 1-2 large cucumbers or a handful of english cucumbers
- full fat greek yogurt
- coarse sea salt
- fresh dill
Instructions
- finely dice up cucumbers and let sit in a bowl till you’re ready to serve.
- slice a baguette and brush olive oil top before grilling, toasting, pan frying or baking the bread. totally up to you how you want to crisp up your toasties, i’ve been using my balmuda.
- once your bread is golden brown and you’re ready to serve, mix the cucumbers with greek yogurt. start with about 2-3 heaping tb and add as you like it. you want it to be creamy but not dripping with yogurt.
- sprinkle your sea salt and some sprigs of fresh dill on top and serve!
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i tried the Pura diffuser and now every room needs one
i’ve always been obsessed with things smelling good – from asking my dad if i can wear perfume at wayyy too young, to hoarding half-used candles like they’re souvenirs, so i’m not sure what took me so long to get on the Pura train, but i’m never getting off now!
i am super sensitive to smell, and whenever i would come home being away, i hated the smell of our house and worried everyone that comes in notices how odd it smells. i’ve even worried i smell like a hamster cage lol. but not anymore! ever since we put Pura fragrance diffusers all over, people comment on how good our house smells.
i’m going to share my honest Pura diffuser review— a bit about my experience using one, my favorite fragrances, and how i set the timer. but before i do, they’re doing a sitewide Memorial Day Sale from 5/19 – 5/26. diffusers* and fragrances are 20% off!!!
a very legit candle replacement
i’ve always been one of those people who have scented candles burning in multiple rooms at a time, especially when we have company. but, i read an article about how burning scented candles was actually really bad for you, and i shuddered to think the terrible air quality of our house, all because of my unwavering love of fragrance!!
that was when I decided to try a Pura smart diffuser. the biggest selling point was that it’s recommended for anyone with children or pets (and they’re eco-friendly). and the smart features made it sound so easy!
i still burn candles, for the vibes, but i find myself doing it way less than i did before. my Puras do the heavy lifting instead!!
my favorite Pura diffuser scents
this is a very important part of your Pura “journey”, because there are thousands of scents to choose from and it can be super overwhelming at first. i tried many scents until i started figuring out my MVPs, which i now have on auto-buy!
and ps — while you’re figuring out your scent preferences (there may be some trial and error), Pura has a great fragrance return policy!! a really good way to choose is look for companies you already like and trust (a lot of my favorite candles i tried in Pura form).
here are the best Pura scents i’ve discovered thus far! be warned, i love the clean, coastal, citrus scents the most. i’m not into scents like vanilla, etc. but i might branch out more and update my favorites later!
Salt by Unify Co.: marine, cashmere, woody. my #1. i’m obsessed. very niche reference, but it smells like the northern california part of soarin’ at disneyland in the best way. clean, coastal, slightly cozy… it’s perfect!
White Bergamot by Studio Mcgee: citrus, floral, light musk. the floral note adds a soft, cozy layer on top of the musky base i usually go for. i thought it might lean too feminine, but it doesn’t!
Earl Grey Bitters by Apotheke: bergamot, black tea, amber. clean but a little moody, like citrus with depth instead of straight freshness.
Palo Santo by Brooklyn Candle Studio: palo santo wood, cedar, sandalwood. i’ve always loved the scent of palo santo, so i ordered this immediately. it doesn’t smell exactly like burning palo santo to me, but it’s a beautiful, relaxing scent — like a fancy spa waiting room.
Dew by Unify Co.: peony, green, eucalyptus. a perfect springtime scent, it’s crisp and refreshing and light.
Volcano by Capri Blue: tropical citrus, sugared fruit. sweet and punchy. not what i usually go for, but it’s really good — and totally different from the rest. best in a small powder room where you want a fun hit of scent.
how it’s changed the vibe of our house
this is the best part. you can fully set the mood of your house depending on the season or even the room.
around christmas time, we had a faux tree in the living room and a real one in the family room, so i got some christmasy Pura scents, and i swear the living room smelled better than the real tree. that pine smell wafting through the house was one of my favorite parts of our first christmas in connecticut!
post-holidays, i went all in on cozy, woodsy scents, and now that the seasons have changed, i’ve switched to brighter, citrusy ones. it really does change how the house feels.
my sister-in-law literally asked me if it was worth getting one “for her smelly house” (her words, not mine lol) and i was like… 1000%. i’m simply a happier person when things smell good. who wouldn’t be?!
how i set my schedules for my Pura home diffuser
i actually get this question a lot, so i figured i’d answer it here. it really depends on your routine, but since we work from home and are here basically all day, ours run more than someone who’s out 9–5. (and you can even use away mode so it won’t run when you’re not home!)
first — if you didn’t know, you control everything from the app. schedules, intensity, when scents are running low… all of it!
i basically set mine based on where we actually are during the day.
upstairs in our bedroom, i run it way less since we’re not there much. i’ll do a wind-down window (7:30pm–10pm) and then a little bit in the morning (5:30am–6:30am).
downstairs, i focus on the times we’re actually using the space. i’m not spending time in the living room mid-day, so i just do a morning block (6am–10am) and then again in the evening (5pm–8pm).
and then for rooms that need… constant help (our tiny bathroom, unfortunately), i pretty much run it all day but with breaks — like 40 minutes on, short intervals off.
depending on your sensitivity and preferences, you just gotta play around and see what works best for you!
Pura’s Memorial Day Sale runs until May 26 Save 20% sitewide, including diffusers* and fragrances. BUY NOW
At Pura
*sale excludes the new Pura V5 diffuser. -
mother’s day gift guide 2026
mother’s day is may 10! lots of sweet + simple gift ideas for all the different moms out there!
aura
aspen digital frame
the most incredible digital picture frame — everyone in our family has one! use code “molly” for $35 off the aspen frame.
roan iris
hand block-printed tea towels
for the mom who says you can never have too many table linens (me)
rŌz
milk hair serum
this stuff is pricey but so good! i use it after washing and it makes my hair shinier, softer, and way less frizzy.
wildgrain
mother’s day brunch bundle
this brunch box would be such a treat (use code “MAKESPERFECT”) i love allllll their products and they bake straight from frozen.
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20+ cute ideas for school auction art
school auction art a lot of times can be very corny, or something you may not actually want to bid on / hang in your house. if you’re in charge of doing the auction art for your kids classroom this year, i thought a post of beautiful projects would be very helpful!
in this post i’m sharing 20+ ideas for school auction art that are actually beautiful, doable and people might start a bidding war over! i tried to find easy projects but there are a few more advanced ideas in here depending on your level of expertise/ambition!
wait, what is school auction art?
some schools host auctions towards the end of the year to raise money for the school. each classroom is typically responsible for creating one piece of art that other parents hopefully would like to bid on and win for themselves.
the best school auction art pieces i’ve seen don’t cost much to create and also don’t feel too personalized with each kid in the classroom represented. if you want to create something that fellow parents would want to actually keep in their house, then something more generalized will probably be the most popular.
the best projects incorporate or represent a piece of each kid in the class.
1. van Gogh inspired flower collages
artwithmrsfrench these van Gogh style art pieces look pretty incredible. as a group, students painted the background in tempera paint with mixed colors and large brush strokes. the teacher printed out a copy of an original van Gogh painting, cut out the vase, and adhered it to the painted background. then each student created a flower using crayons and water colors. the stems are made from tissue paper. i love!!
2. a flower collage art print
this is so beautiful! have students cut out shapes with paper in coordinating colors. then use gloss medium with paintbrushes to create the flowers. design a vase, arrange the flowers, and then frame!
3. kids sharpie art plate set
hellowonderful these are so simple but would be so cute to sell as a set! they would make for some really fun kids’ dinnerware. i also love this idea of kids each drawing their own fruit on a plate and then auctioning it off as a set.
4. glass magnets with kids art
hellowonderfu a small one but so easy and cute. and something you might actually use. you just cut up kids’ art to the size of the magnets and glue them on.
5. a beautiful serving tray
artcampla so pretty!! for this one, kids used liquid watercolors, liquid diffusing paper and pipettes to create the circles. you could also try using coffee filters. then use mod podge to adhere to the tray. if you didn’t want to do a tray you could turn this into an art print, too.
6. make a quilt out of kids artwork
suzyquilts okay this one is a little more advanced but it’s SO PRETTY i had to include. very detailed instructions here!
sayyes this one is also so beautiful and easier! i feel like these quilts could look so cute in a kids room! step by step instructions here.
7. story quilts inspired by Huguette Caland
artcampla if you’re not into the real quilts, you could try “story” quilts. these ones are in the style of Huguette Caland and are really beautiful. you can buy the project pdf here. you could have students color in different parts of the art and then frame, or have them create a few prints as a group for a really special series of art.
8. flower paintings inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe
artbarblog these are individual art prints but how pretty are they?? you could sell as a set or have each kid paint one flower for a large scale print. or even turn into a calendar!
9. paper mosaic art
minimadthings for this one you could have kids cut out different colors/patterns of paper and then have them assemble into interesting mosaic pieces.
10. turn kids art into a calendar
bellapamella this would be really simple (and so useful!) — have kids each do a drawing for one of the months (or do two to a month if you have more kids in the class), then upload to a custom calendar online.
i’m a big fan of artifact uprising and minted calendars if you’re looking for beautiful designs, and if you want something simple, i’d go with zazzle!
11. large scale collaborative painting
artbarblog this project was done with tempera paint on a large piece of craft paper but i think you could get a large canvas and have them do the same. this would be great for kids of any ages really!
12. a nature wind chime or mobile
themagiconions it would be so sweet to have kids collect things from nature and press into clay. combine them together to make a unique wind chime/mobile. you could also have them paint the discs instead.
13. grid collages of kids’ artwork
remodelista this is an expensive version of this idea BUT you could definitely do a cheaper version inspired by her work by scanning kids’ artwork and creating a grid-based art print.
14. diy shell ornaments
okay i’m a little biased BUT i think it would be so cute to have kids each make some shell ornaments and auction them off together as a set! here’s the tutorial!
amberthrane you could also do this idea as a vase instead of ornaments.
15. fingerprint art print
jennaburger a simpler project but could be great for younger kids. you could also have them do something like this on a platter. very very cute, simple and looks beautiful!
16. painting inspired by Paul Klee
artbarblog kids did their own individual art for this project but you could do a large-scale print and have each kid paint a square. or have them each do their own smaller piece and add them all together.
17. cutout print inspired by Matisse
artbarblog have each kid cut out Matisse-inspired shapes in different colors then assemble together into a cool print!
18. watercolor school auction art
for my sons kindergarten school auction art, i had each kid do a watercolor painting and then cut them up into small leaves, creating this flowy rainbow pattern which i glued down to a piece of thick poster board. this one took me many hours, but i’m so happy with how it turned out.
and there was a bidding war! 🙂 i believe it went for over $600 !!!
19. checkerboard watercolor art
for my sons 1st grade class, again, i had each kid do a small watercolor painting, and then using a square puncher i created a unique rainbow checkerboard pattern. i glued onto a piece of poster board and framed. it took me very little time and it would look so cute in a playroom or bathroom.
20. tiny house collages
alexandra mathias these beautiful collages are made by alexandra mathias! it would be so fun to have kids paint little houses like this and create a print inspired by their work. i’ve also seen similar projects done with butterflies and lots of other shapes!
i hope this helped inspire you if you’re in charge of creating the auction art for your childs school. and if there’s a bidding war, even better!!!
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beautiful frame tv art for spring
spring is here! so i rounded up some pretty art to freshen up your tv for the occasion! lots of florals and lots of color, i’m a changed woman!
for a very easy way to swap your frame tv art without having to use the app, i have a tutorial here.
click on the images in the collages directly to shop!
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free printable 2026 oscar ballot
print your oscar ballot here! the 2026 academy awards are happening on march 15th this year (does it feel like it gets later every year?!)
and as always, i made a printable ballot for your oscars viewing party!
the way i like to use it : everyone marks their predictions in one color, then fills in the actual winners in another. at the end, tally up who got the most right… and that person wins absolutely nothing! just bragging rights! but putting down $5 would actually make it so much more exciting.
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japanese sweet potato soup with crispy brussels sprouts
before moving out of los angeles, i was obsessed with the japanese sweet potato soup from goop kitchen! i craved it constantly and have missed it since leaving and it getting cold outside — so i searched all over for a recipe but couldn’t really find one anywhere! so i tried my best to make something similar, and frankly i don’t even know if it tastes the same, but it was good and that’s all that matters right?!
ps i wish i’d taken a better photo for this!
japanese sweet potato soup with crispy brussels sprouts
my attempt to recreate the creamy magic soup from goop kitchen that i miss so much!Ingredients
Soup
- 4 japanese sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups broth i use water + bouillon always!
- 2¾ cups water divided
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tb soy sauce
- 2 tb white miso paste
- olive oil
Brussels Sprouts
- brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tb soy sauce
Optional
- chili crunch oil for serving
Instructions
- heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium, add onion. cook, stirring often, for 15 mins, until soft and caramelized. add garlic and cook for a couple more mins.
- add broth and 2 cups water to the pot. bring to a boil over high heat. add sweet potatoes and boil until fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
- turn off heat. use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
- ass you’re blending, add in salt, garlic powder, and remaining ¾ cup water (or more for thinner soup)
- next add soy sauce and miso paste until fully disolved.
brussels sprouts
- toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp soy sauce.
- air fry at 400°F for 13 minutes, shaking once halfway, until browned and crispy.
- set aside about ¼ cup for garnish.
- stir remaining brussels sprouts into the soup and warm gently if needed.
- top with crispy brussels sprouts and chili crunch oil, if using.
Notes
i’m not used to cooking with japanese sweet potatoes, so i was alarmed at the immediate oxidizing once peeled! don’t worry, it won’t affect your soup or the taste of it, but i do recommend peeling and chopping right before using (you can also slow down the oxidation by placing in a bowl of cold water until ready!) i sort of winged it as i went and may have added some additional miso, bouillon, etc. taste as you go and season as you like it!here is the dutch oven i have, immersion blender and my favorite MILD chili crunch!
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printable valentine’s fill in the blank cards
i’ve made some printable valentine’s in the past, but i thought some simple fill in the blank cards would be fun for this year– easy prompts for little kids who say the darndest things, and short enough to keep their attention too!
click here to download the printable
printables are for personal use only, not for redistribution of any kind.
for best results, download the file to your computer and print versus printing from your browser window. -
temporary tattoo valentines (of your kids art!!)
this is the first year i’ve actually made arlo valentines for his classmates — and i’m so happy with how they turned out. a follower told me she was using temporary tattoo paper and suggested it for arlos art and i loved the idea so much i actually made it happen in time for the holiday!!
(ps if you’re less ambitious, i did round up lots of cute valentines to buy here!)Read More
