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The changing of times

 I think when I started this blog, wayback when it was called HoHa for Hands on Home Arts, it was always going to be a capturing of a moment.  I’m still a homemaker by trade but it’s time to put on a new hat and try new things. Within that, I probably won’t be posting around here as much. Instead, I’ll be doing book reviews on Substack ( https://cdpunt.substack.com/ ) and I’ll be sharing a variety of other things here and there on the internet. To find all the bits and pieces head over to https://www.cdpunt.com   I’ve got this philosophy floating around that I’m trying to mail down, I need to write for myself even when I’m sharing it with you. I need to like my writing, not just the words but the content. I’ll still be sending out my monthly newsletter, so keep an eye out for those if you’ve signed up. I’m sure that we’ll see each other around and until then, I hope you enjoy!
Recent posts

Tasty Tuesday: Pulled Beef Sammiches

 I’ve been using this recipe for beef sandwiches for a while now. It’s easy and delicious. We generally do not dip, just deli buns, beef, provolone cheese tossed under the broiler for a bit.  This last week, I forgot to buy the French onion soup mix so here’s what I did instead. I lined the crockpot ( if you aren’t using liners, go get some (aff links incoming)), put in a whole frozen beef English roast fat cap up, sprinkled with salt and pepper, added 4 cups of water, added two teaspoons each of Better than Bouillon beef and onion . Put it on low for 8-10 hours, occasionally stopping by and stirring the liquid and spooning it on top of the meat. When you’re ready to eat, pull the roast out put it on a sheet pan with a rim and use two forks to shred the meat, removing fat and anything tough looking. Put the meat back into the liquid. The turn on your broiler, make the sammich but putting in the meat, some cheese on top and then under the broiler until they’re all melty. You can serv

Sweet Caroline by Kelda Poynot

  First off, my copy of Sweet Caroline  (aff link) is not a gifted review book, I spent my well earned Amazon No-Rush Rewards money on this book. Second of all, this is not my standard close door kind of romance. Third of all, this is a really fun read. Caroline is a hard working young lady that is doing all that she can to make ends meet and to get her graduate degree. Part of that work is renting out the room above her garage. When she answers the phone of an unknown number, believing it's a future tenant, she has no idea how much her life is about to change.  The young man on the other end of that call, Hashim, is tall, dark, and mysterious in all the right ways. The story quickly moves from the girl next door falling for a stranger to a fight for their lives. And in true real life fashion, those fights aren't just with external enemies but the ones we carry within.  It's an entertaining story of Caroline and Hashim, discovering their love for each other and fighting to

Tasty Tuesday: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

  I've had loaded baked potato soup on the menu most of the month of November, not really knowing when I was going to make it. Last night was the night. I started with this recipe from Betty Crocker as an idea but as I saw that it served 15 and looked at the various quantities while I cooked, some things changed, and wanted to share the final recipe here so you can enjoy it and I won't forget it.  Loaded Baked Potato Soup serves 3 with seconds and a serving left over 1/2 package of bacon 1 small onion chopped 3 cups chicken broth (I use Better Than Boullion) 2 large baking potatoes, peeled, cubed 2 tbsp butter 2 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour 2 cups milk divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2teaspoon freshly ground pepper A generous helping of sour cream 4 oz sharp Cheddar cheese shredded (half a block) separated 2 sliced green onions separated In skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons d

Loving Disagreement by Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos

  If you're human, which I'm assuming you are if you found your way here, there will come a moment in your life when you're right and they're wrong and you're going to have to not win because the relationship is more important than your rightness It might be over where to go to dinner, which type of coat to wear for the weather, what ever it may be, you're going to find yourself there. Khang and Mikalatos have got together and written Loving Disagreement for that exact moment, especially if that exact moment isn't occurring with a loved one but with someone you encountered on the internet or maybe the break room at work, the where and who don't really matter because we can be loving towards anyone, even when we're not in relationship with the offending person. The book uses the concept of the fruit of the spirit to go through different ways to handle conflict. Khang and Mikalatos take turns writing the meat of each section but there's a quite enj