This is episode 5: Daisy Jones and the Good Liver (includes spoilers)

Escape to Cozyland! Your hosts Amy and Melissa have a lot in common, music, podcasting, a love of mysteries... and the not-so-guilty pleasure of cozy films and tv shows - you know the ones, with the predictable plots and familiar character traits. Each week we'll chat about new and upcoming tv shows and movies coming to what we like to call Cozyland! 

So, grab those fuzzy socks, some snacks, and the tv remote, and join us in escaping the real world for a spell.

 This week we are straying from cozy a little bit and talking about a TV show that we both adored. Daisy Jones and the Six is currently on Amazon Prime Video.

Spoiler Alert: The first part of our conversation is spoiler free, but the second part we do talk about ALL the secrets and things that happen. Including the emotional ending. So PLEASE listen with care and STOP when we say it’s time for spoilers.

We also talk about a few other shows, books, and the Bechdel test. We believe this show passes it. What do you think?

TV Shows

Evil Lives Here (spooky show Amy talked about) https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/show/evil-lives-here-investigation-discovery

Not Dead Yet (we both really enjoyed, starring Gina Rodriguez and Lauren Ash): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18250904/

Jane the Virgin (also Gina Rodriguez) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3566726/

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Amy liked): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4094300/

Up Here (musical, Amy talked about) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17525252

 

Books

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid: https://amzn.to/3M7AW8W

Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid: https://amzn.to/3Kmgvni

 

Podcast: True Crime and Cocktails: https://www.truecrimeandcocktails.com/

 

This episode was recorded on March 26, 2023, and released on March 27, 2023.

Socials:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cozylandpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozylandpod/    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cozylandpod     

Say hello at: cozylandpod@gmail.com

Visit our website: https://www.podpage.com/cozyland/

Credits:

Hosted by: Melissa Oliveri and Amy Lotsberg 

Produced by Melissa at Phaeton Starling Publishing and Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.

Theme song “Cozyland” and segment music by Cannelle https://melissaoliveri.com/   

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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This is episode 04: What’s His Name…? And Other Mysteries

Escape to Cozyland! Your hosts Amy and Melissa have a lot in common, music, podcasting, a love of mysteries... and the not-so-guilty pleasure of cozy films and tv shows - you know the ones, with the predictable plots and familiar character traits. Each week we'll chat about new and upcoming tv shows and movies coming to what we like to call Cozyland! 

So, grab those fuzzy socks, some snacks, and the tv remote, and join us in escaping the real world for a spell.

This week we discussed cozy mysteries. Mostly Hallmark, but also some other stuff including books! We gripe a little about TV channel apps. Amy has a beef with the Garage Sale Mysteries and the willy-nilly exchange of actors and characters. Amy’s dog, Vivian Pickles also makes an appearance. We also talk about our love for Brooke Shields and how we would like to see her in more of these movies. We also talk about fostering dogs (and foster failing).

We also talked about the best cozy gift you can give (it’s a wearable blanket). You can find it here: https://www.zulily.com/p/blush-ombr-plush-hooded-throw-601883-82307127.html

Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the show notes to find our recipe for Killer Cozyland Key Lime Pudding!

Shows and movies

Chronicle Mysteries – Allison Sweeney’s character has a podcast! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13197674/ - the actor whose name we couldn’t remember, is Benjamin Ayers.

Crossword Mysteries – Chelsea (Lacey Chabert) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14113198/

Garage Sale Mysteries – Our favorite! With Lori Loughlin https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13029326 - shout-out to Sarah Strange who plays Dani. We love her! The 1st husband actor is Rick Ravenello and the 2nd one is Steve Bacic.

Gourmet Detective Mysteries - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13174750/ 

Murder She Baked - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13174748/ (Based on books by Joanne Fluke)

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13025202/ 

Journey Back to Christmas – Candace C one where she’s locked in a shed. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6269192/ - Amy goofed and the train one does not star Candace.

Flower Shop Mysteries – Brooke Shields! We love her! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13174746/ 

Signed, Sealed, Delivered - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3592718/ 

Family History Mysteries - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23870962/ 

Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21969174/ 

Curious Caterer: Dying for Chocolate - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16968790/ 

Cut, Color, Murder - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16750392/ 

Murdoch Mysteries - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1091909/ 

Sue Thomas, F. B. Eye - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329934/ - with the deaf detective

Murder She Wrote - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086765/ 

Columbo - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1466074

Enola Holmes - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7846844/ 

Clue - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088930/

Murder Mystery https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1618434/– Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston

The Mystery Cruise - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3242640/

High Seas - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8961508/

The Last of Sheila - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070291/

Ghosts (the BBC version) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8594324/

Pushing Daisies - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0925266/

Books

Ghosts I Have Been – Richard Peck (Book Amy loved as a kid) https://amzn.to/3YNdTUe 

Voices After Midnight – Richard Peck (book Melissa loved as a kid) https://amzn.to/3XlNlIh 

Haunting at Cliff House – Karleen Bradford (Melissa also liked) https://amzn.to/3ltS916

There was a Little Girl: The Story of My Mother and Me by Brooke Shields - https://amzn.to/3YoL2Wd

The Echo by Minette Walters - https://amzn.to/3E6qycL

The Dark Room by Minette Walters - https://amzn.to/3IjDezx

Cookie Cutter Shop Mysteries by Virginia Lowell - https://amzn.to/3K2T8Q5

Haunted Guest House Mysteries by EG Copperman https://amzn.to/3Xpsa8u

Non-cozy things we talked about

Twin Peaks reboot - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4093826/

Pokerface - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14269590/

Knives Out - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8946378/

Glass Onion - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11564570/

This episode was recorded on February 8. 2023 and released on February 19th 2023

Socials:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cozylandpod 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozylandpod/    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cozylandpod     

Say hello at: cozylandpod@gmail.com 

Credits:

Hosted by: Melissa Oliveri and Amy Lotsberg 

Produced by Melissa at Phaeton Starling Publishing and Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.

Theme song “Cozyland” and segment music by Cannelle https://melissaoliveri.com/   

Recipe:

Killer Cozyland Key Lime Pudding

2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk

½ C sour cream

¾ C key lime juice

Optional: Lime zest and whipped cream for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and key lime juice in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.

Divide equally between 6 ramekins. 

Place ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake for 5-10 minutes, until tiny bubbles form on the surface.

Turn off oven and let ramekins sit in the oven for 10 more minutes - do not allow to brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for 30-60 minutes then chill in the refrigerator for another 30-60 minutes.

Garnish with whipped cream and lime zest before serving if desired.

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This is episode 3: Going Full Italian

Escape to Cozyland! Your hosts Amy and Melissa have a lot in common, music, podcasting, a love of mysteries... and the not-so-guilty pleasure of cozy films and tv shows - you know the ones, with the predictable plots and familiar character traits. Each week we'll chat about new and upcoming tv shows and movies coming to what we like to call Cozyland! 

Low-steaks stress free movies and shows and the need for them. The days of actually going to a video store and selecting what you’ll watch, compared to today’s methods. Don’t forget to scroll down for this week’s recipe!

TV shows and movies we talked about:

Emily in Paris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lptctjAT-Mk 

Mrs. Winterborne - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukQ9SfY2gJo 

The Holiday – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDi5zH18vxU     

Last Holiday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO0NSRPcPFs 

Under the Tuscan Sun – https://youtu.be/vdJGMZDY0-8 

A Little Romance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPI1IRjonRE 

Pane e tulipani – Bread and Tulips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_92dH8KhSc 

Love in the Villa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kRab62q54M

From Scratch (warning: it’s not all happy)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBHKSQ4MrJE 

The Wedding Veil Unveiled - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT9Sr3tIYNA 

 A Castle for Christmas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_JbFba2i6s 

Unthinkably Good Things - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plecGJ69zUA 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZwXZte_ctk 

 NOT COZY

The Menu – we both had a bit of anxiety watching this one.

Ambient TV

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/emily-in-paris-and-the-rise-of-ambient-tv

So, put on those fuzzy socks, grab some snacks, and the tv remote, and join us in escaping the real world for a spell.

This weeks’ recipe is from Amy. 

Penne Pesto Scramble

6 ounces uncooked penne pasta

4 eggs

splash of water for eggs

1/4 cup pre-made pesto (have more on hand in case you need to add more)

2 Tablespoons cream cheese

Reserved pasta water

salt and pepper to taste

2 Servings

 In a large pot, boil water, add salt. When it’s boiling add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, but reserve the pasta water.

Meanwhile, as the pasta cooks, heat up a large skillet to about medium high and crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk, adding a little water. Add a small teaspoon full of pesto. Add a tiny bit of salt and some pepper to the eggs. Give it a final stir/whisk to combine.

When the pasta is done and draining, and the skillet is hot, spray it with cooking spray and pour the eggs into it. Be sure not to let the eggs brown, moving them around quickly. They’ll cook fast, as soon as they’re almost set, throw in the pasta and the rest of the pesto. I didn’t measure the pesto so I’m guessing it was about ¼ cup but honestly could have been more. Measure with your heart.

Make a little well in the center of the pan and toss in the cream cheese and a little pasta water (like ¼ cup). Stir to melt the cream cheese but make sure you’re moving the eggs too so they don’t brown. Alternatively, you could mix the cream cheese and pesto together before putting it in the pan.  

Taste and season with salt and pepper adding more pesto, or pasta water if needed.

 

This episode was recorded on January 18, 2023 and released on January 22, 2023.

Socials:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cozylandpod 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozylandpod/    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cozylandpod     

Say hello at: cozylandpod@gmail.com 

Credits:

Hosted by: Melissa Oliveri and Amy Lotsberg 

Produced by Melissa at Phaeton Starling Publishing and Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.

Theme song “Electric Cozyland” and segment music by Cannelle https://melissaoliveri.com/   

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is episode 2: Here Comes the Bad Accent

Escape to Cozyland! Your hosts Amy and Melissa have a lot in common, music, podcasting, a love of mysteries... and the not-so-guilty pleasure of cozy films and tv shows.

Each week we'll chat about new and upcoming tv shows and movies coming to what we like to call Cozyland!

So, grab those fuzzy socks, some snacks, and the tv remote, and join us in escaping the real world for a spell.

In this episode we talked about the first episode in the Hallmark movie series, The Wedding Veil. We also talked about bad accents, Hallmark hunks, and a little more about Christmas Hallmark movies and also their cozy mystery movies, which we’ll be covering more in future episodes.

This episode was recorded on December 28, 2022 and released on January 8, 2023.

Cozyland Pina Colada French Toast

For the pineapple:

1-1 ½ cups of pineapple chunks (fresh is best but canned works too)

1 tbsp butter

Melt the butter in a skillet then add the pineapple, cook until pineapple softens and turns golden.

For the Coconut Syrup:

1/2 c. butter

¾ c. milk

1 c. sugar

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. coconut extract

Put butter, milk, and sugar in a medium - large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil for one minute then remove from heat.

While stirring constantly, add baking soda and coconut extract until mixture is homogeneous. The mixture may bubble up. 

Set aside while cooking French Toast.

For the french toast:

2 eggs

2/3 c. milk

pinch salt

½ tsp. Vanilla

4 thick slices of French bread

1 tbsp butter (for cooking)

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and vanilla together until well blended then pour into a shallow bowl.

Place bread slices in the bowl and let sit until the egg/milk mixture has been soaked up (you can flip the bread part way through to ensure both sides soak up the mixture)

Melt butter in a hot skillet, and add bread slices. Let cook until the underside is golden brown, then flip and cook until the other side is done (depending on the size of your skillet you may need to cook the bread slices in batches).

Place french toast on a plate, add cooked pineapple chunks on top and drizzle with coconut syrup.

Enjoy!

Our website: https://www.cozylandpod.com/

Socials:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cozylandpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozylandpod/    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cozylandpod     

 

Say hello at: Email: cozylandpod@gmail.com

 

Credits:

Hosted by: Melissa Oliveri and Amy Lotsberg

A joint production by Melissa at Phaeton Starling Publishing and Amy at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.

Theme song “Welcome to Cozyland” and outro music “Electric Cozyland” by Cannelle https://cannellemusic.com/   

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is episode 1: Peak Christmas!

Escape to Cozyland! Your hosts Amy and Melissa have a lot in common; music, podcasting, a love of mysteries... and the not-so-guilty pleasure of cozy films and tv shows - you know the ones, with the predictable plots and familiar character traits. Each week we'll chat about new and upcoming tv shows and movies coming to what we like to call Cozyland!

So, grab those fuzzy socks, some snacks, and the tv remote, and join us in escaping the real world for a spell.

For our very first episode we talked about several movies and TV shows:

The Noel Diary on Netflix which we both gave 5 Stars.

Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas on Hallmark (where woman gets voicemail that’s not for her)

Long Lost Christmas on Hallmark (where woman finds a photo of her mom and a man and tries to track him down)

I Believe in Santa on Netflix (zero stars, perhaps even negative stars)

The Holiday Sitter on Hallmark – lots of stars we both loved it.

Very Merry Bridesmaid on Hallmark

Ghosts of Christmas Always on Hallmark – we loved this too.

Holiday Spectacular on Hallmark (the one Amy calls “the Rockette one”)

Three Wise Men and a Baby on Hallmark - Another favorite.

Hanukah on Rye on Hallmark – mmm food…

The One Hundred Foot Journey – another food movie that Melissa recommended.

A Fabled Holiday on Hallmark – fairy tale component.

A Timeless Christmas on Hallmark – time travel one

Merry Kiss Cam on Hulu - filmed in the midwest, lots of hockey

We also wondered about why some of the Hallmark men don’t seem like they’d be into their co-star.  We talk about Peak Christmas. Melissa’s dog, Samson, made an appearance too.

This episode was recorded on December 28, 2022 and released on January 1, 2023.

Cozyland Hot Chocolate Orange Recipe

1c chocolate chips, melted

½ tsp Orange Extract

2c milk

1/4c of heavy cream or half and half

Optional: whipped cream and grated orange rind for garnish

Instructions:

Heat milk and cream until steaming the remove from heat.

While the milk is warming up, melt the chocolate then add orange extract.

Once the milk is steaming, remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate/orange mixture until fully blended.

Pour into 2 mugs and top with whipped cream and grated orange peel if desired.

Socials:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cozylandpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozylandpod/    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cozylandpod     

 

Say hello at: Email: cozylandpod@gmail.com

 

Credits:

Hosted by: Melissa Oliveri and Amy Lotsberg

Produced by Melissa Oliveri at Phaeton Starling Publishing and Amy Lotsberg at Collected Sounds Media, LLC.

Theme song “Welcome to Cozyland” and outro music “Electric Cozyland” by Cannelle https://cannellemusic.com/   

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @theskylarkbell

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

We've all lived through some trying times in the past couple of years. We’ve had to find new ways of doing things, creative solutions to problems we’d never dreamed of. We’ve had to revisit our relationships with work, family, friends, and even ourselves – and when things became overwhelming, we had to dig deep to find ways to bring a feeling of comfort, joy, and safety into our lives.

In this podcast, we’ll explore the different ways we find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, light a candle, grab a blanket... and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add comfort to their lives.

My guest today is Katy Tessman. With a voice full of the wisdom she’s gained through breast cancer survival, heartbreak, and motherhood, Katy Tessman’s straight-from-the-heart songwriting style moves passionately over a diverse emotional and musical terrain. Katy is also an award-winning children’s book author and named Changemaker by Minnesota Women’s Press.

Before becoming a mom, Katy performed her original contemporary folk music for nearly a decade both in the Twin Cities area and on national tours that allowed her to grace stages from Seattle to Sioux Saint Marie.

Katy has fought the battle of her life -- finishing the fight with children who stayed optimistic gave her the courage and confidence to self-publish her book “Our Mama is a Beautiful Garden”, a breast cancer book for children. For this, Katy received the Mom’s Choice Awards Gold Medal and Moonbeam Children's Book Awards Silver Medal.

Katy is passionate about helping schools transform their libraries to be future-ready media centers. She builds relevant and diverse book collections for new schools across the country and believes every school library should host a MakerSpace - an outlet for students, fueling engagement, creativity, and curiosity at the same time.

As promised, each episode of Grab a Blanket features a recipe provided by our guest. Katy has chosen to share her recipe for Corn Soufflé

Katy's Easy Corn Soufflé

Ingredients

8 ounces Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

15 ounces whole kernel corn (drained)

15 ounces creamed corn (not drained)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup melted butter

1 egg

1 tsp of sugar (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together and pour into a greased 8"x8" baking pan.

Cook uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned.

Find Katy's Music, Writing, and more here:

Website: www.katytessman.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ2DSon508YhuZhVLR-TPfw

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/katy-tessman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OurMamaIsABeautifulGarden

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katytessmanmusic/

Literacy & MakerEd Blog: https://katytessman.home.blog/

My book trailer: https://youtu.be/cdBRhTk7i8E

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

We've all lived through some trying times in the past couple of years. We’ve had to find new ways of doing things, creative solutions to problems we’d never dreamed of. We’ve had to revisit our relationships with work, family, friends, and even ourselves – and when things became overwhelming, we had to dig deep to find ways to bring a feeling of comfort, joy, and safety into our lives.

In this podcast, we’ll explore the different ways we find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, light a candle, grab a blanket... and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add comfort to their lives.

My guest today is Annie Enneking. Annie is a lover and a fighter. She writes songs about having a body at a particular place in time. She fronts and founded the potent, mischievous rock band Annie and the Bang Bang, who believe in energy, poetry, and animal intelligence. Andrea Swenson says "Front woman Annie Enneking leads the group with an honest voice dedicated to telling the stories of underdogs and unsung heroes." Cyn Collins says “The band performs vibrant real rock.” Annie also writes more mellow, singer songwriter-based material under her own name, all of which is spare and true and hurts just right. Another passion of hers is the theater, where she crafts violence for the stage, allowing actors to tell violent stories with their bodies in a safe and repeatable way. She also teaches the art of stage combat at the University of Minnesota. Annie is the mother of Flannery and Harper, the wife of firefighter/writer Jeremy Norton, has three dogs, and lives near the Mississippi River. 

As promised, each episode of Grab a Blanket features a recipe provided by our guest. Annie has chosen to share her recipe for Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffee Cake.

Find Annie and the Bang Bang’s most recent album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/0SRTDsZYN5Wf3O9DrvyK7K?si=quFiH2QkTpinb5Uj0Z7eMw&nd=1

And Annie’s solo work here: https://open.spotify.com/album/46hV2vcqwENSiUrWsLmFPz?si=qxls_tIKQPWxVcx2aidQtA&nd=1

*RECIPE COMING SOON*

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

We’ve all lived through some trying times the past couple of years. We’ve had to find new ways of doing things and creative solutions to problems we’d never dreamed of. We’ve had to revisit our relationships with work, family, friends, and even ourselves – and when things became overwhelming, we had to dig deep to find ways to bring a feeling of comfort, joy, and safety into our lives.

In this podcast, we’ll explore the different ways we find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, light a candle, grab a blanket... and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add a little joy to their lives.

My guest today is Cyn Collins. Cyn is a programmer and host of KFAI radio’s Spin with Cyn, weekly Monday nights from 10pm-midnight, which she has hosted for over 13 years. She is also the author of Complicated Fun, and oral history of Minneapolis Indie Rock and Punk from 1974 to 1984, as well as West Bank Boogie, an oral history of the Minneapolis Blues and Folk scene in the 1960’s and 70’s. She is an avid live music attendee, loves literature and non-fiction, and lives in South Minneapolis with her 2 cats and can be found working at the Har Mar Barnes and Noble Bookstore here in the Twin Cities.

Be sure to scroll down for Cyn's 2 recipes which include Grandma Ruth's Meatloaf, and Grandma Martha's Refrigerator Pickles!

Find Cyn's radio show, Spin with Cyn, here: https://www.kfai.org/program/spinwithcyn/

BOOKS: 

Healing After Loss by Martha Hickman  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/healing-after-loss-martha-w-hickman/1103371715?fbclid=IwAR19zSipLkiWAh55W4NERUqnm2LjIAaQBjQea9mlZSUBHxviBTULDaTjpdY

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56816904-the-sentence?fbclid=IwAR1y48Bbv95vEghfCbxHKqkFNROlpWgJBsDWlcTo3M0YMSR6Odi2jK9Ayvc

Grandma Ruth’s (and Mom’s) Meatloaf 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine the following ingredients by hand just until well mixed.

1.5 to 2 pounds lean ground beef

1 egg 

1 cup bread crumbs (preferably by hand, so there are a few bigger chunks)

1 cup milk

½ cup Ketchup

1 small or medium sweet onion, chopped

1 Tbl. Worchestershire sauce

1 Tbl. Dried Italian seasoning or oregano (or to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste (approx 1 tsp each)

Put the combined ingredients in a loaf pan or baking dish (slightly larger than loaf pan if using 2 lb beef)

Brown sugar glaze (optional)

Mix the following, and spread on top of the loaf with a spoon:

1/3 cup Ketchup

3 Tbl. Brown sugar

1 Tbl. Mustard

Bake one hour uncovered. Check if done, with a knife in center. If still pink, cook 10 – 15 minutes longer.  

Grandma Martha’s Quick Refrigerator Pickles

These are a slightly sweet, tangy delicious pickle, great alone or with BBQ meats. 

Wash and sterilize 6 pint jars, lids and rings. To sterilize, heat a large pot of water to boiling, add the jars and simmer a few minutes. Remove jars with tongs and set on towel. 

Combine the following in a pot and heat on medium, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat. 

2 cups sugar

2 cups vinegar

½ tsp. Turmeric

½ tsp. celery seed

½ tsp. mustard seed

2 Tbl. Salt

2 – 3 lbs. cucumbers, sliced ¼ inch thick, to fit ½ gallon jar (approx. 20 – 30 pickling cucumbers). A mandolin slices thinly and uniformly, but can use knife. Fill ½ gallon jar for accurate quantity. 

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced (use mandolin, ¼ inch or so, or knife). 

Mix onion with cucumbers from the jar, in a bowl. 

Distribute the cucumber/onion slices between the six jars. Ladle liquid mixture evenly over pickles, using a funnel. The liquid might not fill the jar, but it’s good to cover the pickles. You can double the liquid and spices if you’d like. 

Wipe rims dry with clean towel. Top with lid, then ring and tighten firmly. Once cooled, refrigerate. Shake the jars vigorously a few seconds each day for 4 – 5 days to distribute the spices. The pickles store well up to 6 months or longer.

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Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

We've all lived through some trying times in the past couple of years. We’ve had to find new ways of doing things, creative solutions to problems we’d never dreamed of. We’ve had to revisit our relationships with work, family, friends, and even ourselves – and when things became overwhelming, we had to dig deep to find ways to bring a feeling of comfort, joy, and safety into our lives.

In this podcast, we’ll explore the different ways we find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, light a candle, grab a blanket... and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add comfort to their lives.

My guest today is Tony Oliveri. Tony is a drummer who has toured extensively with various bands, he is also a Realtor here in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis, and he also happens to be my husband! In this episode we chat about golf, meditation, Italian food, being by the ocean, and much more. Don’t miss this entertaining conversation, and be sure to try out Tony’s amazing Garlic Broccoli Pasta recipe listed below!

Tony Oliveri official website: http://www.tonyoliveri.com

Tony Oliveri Discography: https://tonyoliveri.com/discography/

Tony Oliveri on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyoliverirealestate

Tony Oliveri on Instagram: @tonyoliveri_realtor

Tony's Garlic Broccoli Pasta

Ingredients:

Angel Hair Pasta

Broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets

Fresh Garlic*, chopped

Olive oil

Fleur de Sel - Salt

Cracked Pepper

Butter

Instructions:

1. Cook angel hair until a la dente

2. Sauté Garlic in light Olive Oil on med low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add Broccoli crowns and cook for 5-10 minutes - not too mushy.

3. Add cooked pasta to Garlic Broccoli mix and toss.

4. Finish by adding Butter salt and pepper.

*LOTS!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

We've all lived through some trying times in the past couple of years. We’ve had to find new ways of doing things, creative solutions to problems we’d never dreamed of. We’ve had to revisit our relationships with work, family, friends, and even ourselves – and when things became overwhelming, we had to dig deep to find ways to bring a feeling of comfort, joy, and safety into our lives.

In this podcast, we’ll explore the different ways we find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, light a candle, grab a blanket... and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add comfort to their lives.

My guest today is Erin Lunde. Erin and I first met when she and her family moved into my neighbourhood. We eventually realized we both share a passion for creativity, writing, and music. Erin invited me to her creative accountability group on social media, and it has been a great way to not only help me stay on track, but also connect with other creative people. Erin is a reader and a writer, as well as a mom and music therapist who runs a private practice. I featured one of her spooky short stories (another passion we share) on my other podcast, The Skylark Bell. It is called My Mother’s Ring, and I highly recommend you give it a listen! In today’s episode we touch on how to carve out time for yourself within the confines of a busy schedule, and touch on growing up in a rural area vs living in the city today.

As promised, each episode will feature a recipe provided by our guest, so be sure to look below for Erin’s chocolate chip cookie recipe!

You can find Erin's stories and podcast on her website here: http://www.erinlunde.com

You can support Erin's work on Patreon here: http://patreon.com/erinlunde

You can listen to Erin's story My Mother's Ring (read by me) on The Skylark Bell podcast here: https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/978676f1-ed5d-404b-b6e1-fb6f25b8d121/stream.mp3

Erin's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Two sticks (1 cup) of butter, softened

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of white sugar

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Mix until creamy. Add 2 eggs and mix further. 

If the butter in the creamy mix has little pockets or bits of solid butter, the butter was probably the wrong temp. 

In a different bowl, start with:

2 1/2 cups of flour. Do not do it the correct way. Rather, shake it down — almost like you’re packing by gravity, not light and sifted at all. (But definitely not packed as much as the brown sugar)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Then sprinkle one light layer of nutmeg, and three light layers of cinnamon.

Mix dry ingredients. Then add to wet and mix. 

Add chips, mix briefly, set dough to chill 

After solid chill, put on 1/3 cup scoops and bake at 375F for 12-15 min. It could be more, depending on how cold the dough was. Sometimes, I stick the cookie sheets out in the winter cold. The idea is to keep the cookies from spreading too much (while the butter melts) as they rise.

Pull out before totally done if you want more cake- like. They will cook a bit while cooling. Overdone, they will be thinner and more crispy.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

In this podcast, we explore the different ways people find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, light a candle, grab a blanket... and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add a little joy to their lives.

My guest today is Amy Elle. Amy has some fantastic podcasts which include Collected Sounds, my personal favourite: Volsteadland, which follows the trials and tribulations of famous (or should I say Infamous) Minneapolis mobster, Kid Cann, and a new one yet-to-be released called Tales from the Shift where she interviews people about unique jobs they’ve had. Spoiler, I spoke to her about my time working the overnight shift as a nurse’s aide in a convent in my late teens – just to give you an idea of the content.

Amy and I share a love of all things supernatural and unusual, so I’m quite interested to see which direction the conversation will go as we chat about the ways in which she brings comfort to her life.

As promised, each episode features a recipe provided by our guest, so be sure to scroll down for Amy’s Dutch Baby recipe!

Find Amy's Volsteadland podcast here: http://www.volsteadland.com 

Send in your unique job experience for Amy's new podcast, Tales from the Shift, here: https://www.podpage.com/tales-from-the-shift/

Find the cozy blanket Amy was talking about here (spoiler, I just added one to my cart!): https://www.amazon.com/Lvylov-Decorative-Reversible-Microfiber-Breathable/dp/B08JPGCD4Y?th=1

Lastly, here is Amy's Dutch Baby recipe, from Chef John at Foodwishes:

Ingredients

⅔ cup milk, room temperature

½ cup packed all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, room temperature

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons clarified butter

1 tablespoon butter

½ Meyer lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, or to taste

Steps

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Blend milk, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together in a blender until batter is smooth.

Melt clarified butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat until bubbling; pour batter into the center of the skillet.

Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with 1 tablespoon butter, drizzle lemon juice over the top, and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Here's the link to it online https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/239993/chef-johns-dutch-babies/

For the savory one I just omit the vanilla, lemon and sugar and use cheese or veggies.

I made it once with asparagus and peas and it was yummy. You can also make it in small ramekins instead of one big skillet then each person gets their own!

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grab a Blanket is hosted and produced by Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

Support Melissa on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/melissaoliveri

Melissa on Instagram: @the.mop.pod

Melissa on Twitter: @melissaoliveri

All music by Cannelle - http://www.cannellemusic.com

We’ve all lived through trying times, and there has been no shortage of trying times in the past couple of years. We’ve had to find new ways of doing things, creative solutions to problems we’d never dreamed of. We’ve had to revisit our relationships with work, family, friends, and even ourselves – and when things became overwhelming, we had to dig deep and discover the things that bring us comfort.

In this podcast, we’ll explore the different ways we find solace and peace of mind. This is your moment to settle in, get cozy, relax, and spend a little time with us as we explore the various paths that people take to add a little joy to their lives.

Today’s guest is Ken Volante. I met Ken when he approached me to be a guest on his podcast Something Rather Than Nothing, where we discussed life, art, music, Twin Peaks, and everything in between. Because we’re on the brink of the holiday season, our conversation often turned toward how to find comfort at a time of year that can often be hectic and often features uncooperative weather, navigating family dynamics, incessant advertisements and calls for our attention. We discussed how to find peace within the chaos, a place of comfort within the whirlwind. The solution often involved indulging in small comforts that we wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards at other times of the year.

Find Ken's podcast, Something Rather Than Nothing, here: https://somethingratherthannothing.podbean.com

As promised, each episode features a recipe provided by our guest, so here is Ken’s recipe!

Jen's Vegan Cookies of Comfort

Mix Together:

6oz Vegan Butter

1/2 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Vegan Egg (or equivalent)

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cup Pumpkin Puree

Mix In:

2 cups Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Pumpkin Spice

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Fold In:

1 1/2 cups Vegan Chocolate Chips

Scoop onto baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 11 minutes.

Enjoy!

Production: Things With Wings Productins

Music: The Mess Inside Your Head by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

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