So Into That

Get this week’s full So Into That newsletter here! https://whattocook.substack.com/p/angela-santomero-the-creator-of-bluesAs the creator of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on PBS, Angela Santomero may be the person most responsible for getting my family through the pandemic with our sanity intact. The show was (and still is) a lifesaver in moments when George or I needed a break from hands-on parenting, and its musical life lessons have become part of our toddlers’ lexicon.Today, I get the chance to thank Angela in person! And you get to hear about the early childhood development principles behind her Emmy award-winning work. Plus, her take on screen time for kids; working with the real-life Mr. Rogers; and two wise pieces of advice for parents of young kids.We also get into:• Why Daniel Tiger doesn’t wear pants (but Mom Tiger does)• How Angela developed the show (and Blue’s Clues before that)• How music and repetition help kids learn• Advice she’d give to her younger self (now that her daughters are in their 20s)Links: • Angela’s new book, Life Clues - https://angelasclues.com/• Her Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/angelasclues/?hl=en• Her TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@angelasclues• Her new show, Dee & Friends in Oz on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/81223055 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

Get this week’s full So Into That newsletter here! https://whattocook.substack.com/p/i-found-the-perfect-reading-for-aToday I share what I’ve been so into lately: entertaining versus having people over, a great new lipstick, etc.Plus, the insane story of how I heard a beautiful poem read at a wedding and immediately knew who the author was (it's not someone famous, and I'd never heard the poem before!).I also get into:PMS getting way worse with age, kids, or both (my “so out on”)Traveling to Austin for my mom’s 70th birthday (but missing the solar eclipse!)My IRL LOL of the week involving my son, high off Easter candy sugar, and the word “dragon”What I’ve been cooking lately and my trick for getting my kids to eat itLinks: Merit Matte LipstickThe Need by Helen Phillipsbeef enchilada casserole recipe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

I love each and every guest we’ve had on this show, but I’m just gonna say it: for me at least, this episode is probably the most important and relevant one we’ve done yet. Today we have Eve Rodsky, the Harvard-trained author of Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live).I personally credit Eve’s ideas – and the playing cards that help you implement them – with making the “invisible work” of running my own household visible, and equitably dividing that work with my husband.As you’ll hear today, Eve embarked on this journey to find answers to her own problem. After becoming a mom of two, she watched as she became the default doer of the things, all while feeling sidelined in her career and “abandoned” by her husband (whom she still loved).In other words, her “Sh*t I Do” list grew longer and longer without any real discussion of who should actually do what.Fair Play is the antidote to that problem, and this episode breaks down the method in detail. You’ll come away equipped to start a conversation with your partner; identify and fairly divide responsibilities; create space for yourself; and ultimately live a happier, healthier life.Eve and I also get into:* Why household labor tends to be so unequal* Men over-reporting and women under-reporting their contributions* How to raise this topic with your partner* What Fair Play looks like in action in my own marriage* “He’s the income earner. So shouldn’t I handle everything in the home?”* Understanding the different types of labor (daily grind vs. on your own time)* Hard-to-define responsibilities like spirituality and “magic” (tooth fairy, etc.)* Why it’s so important to own a task completely* Eve’s key to staying happy even as you shoulder more responsibility in lifeLinks: * Fair Play book* Fair Play cards* Fair Play documentary* Eve’s second book, Find Your Unicorn Space* Eve’s podcast with Dr. Aditi NerurkarSubscribe to my weekly recipe newsletter here: https://whattocook.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

OMFG — Jessa freaking Hastings is on So Into That this week!!!!!Jessa is the brilliant author of the Magnolia Parks book series, and whether or not you’ve read them, I know you’ll love getting to know her and hearing about her path to mega-book-fame.I can’t stop thinking about the unwavering faith that Jessa had in herself that these books would someday be a success, despite so many people telling her no along the way. If you’ve ever wanted to put something out into the world but hit speed bumps along the way, I know her story will be as inspirational to you as it is to me. Whether you’ve read Magnolia Parks or not, you’ll love getting to know Jessa and hearing her talk about “downloading” ideas out of thin air, blacking out while writing, what she reads and watches for inspiration, and navigating the wild world of “Bookstagram” and “BookTok” where everyone’s a critic.Also – if you haven’t read the books; heed my spoiler alert about 15 minutes from the end!We also get into:* Where Jessa gets her ideas* Trusting her instincts, self-publishing, and going viral* The DMs she gets from her very invested fans* Drawing on her personal experience with grief to write Magnolia’s book 5 experience* Trying to get spoilers out of Jessa — “Will there be another wedding? Will someone die?!”* The meaning of the last sentence of Book 5* What Jessa’s so into (and out on) right nowLinks: * Jessa’s Instagram* Buy the Magnolia Parks books here* Pre-order my book hereListen to this episode on your favorite podcast app: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

My husband and I have been following the amazing Dr. Aditi Nerurkar for months now, and putting her tips to work in our sometimes-stressful lives.Now that she’s put all her wisdom together in a book and started her own Substack, it seemed like the time to ask her to share science-backed strategies for managing and mastering stress – beyond unhelpful and annoying clichés (“just relax?!”).So in this episode, we talk about the personal stress crisis that inspired Aditi to become a world expert on the subject; how she manages her own stress as a working mom with a young kid; and how to apply the “5 Resets" in your day-to-day life.We also get into:* Finding small moments of calm throughout the day* The 3-second routine she recommends when making a transition (before picking up kids, etc.)* Night time screen time and “Revenge Bedtime Procrastination”* What keeping your phone nearby at work or in bed does to your stress* Habit formation and why falling off the wagon can actually be goodLinks* Gaiam Posture Corrector* Aditi’s Instagram* Her new Substack, It’s Not You, It’s Your Stress* Her podcast, Time Out: A Fair Play Podcast* Aditi’s book, The Five Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body for Less Stress and More Resilience This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

Cameron Rogers is a longtime friend and OG food/mom content creator who played a crucial role in helping me open up about my life online.True to her Freckled Foodie roots, she still develops recipes but these days you’re more likely to find her talking about motherhood, overall physical and mental health, and how they’re intertwined.So in this episode, we catch up about how to divide the labor of running a household and raising kids; our thoughts on the transition from one child to two; identifying what makes you anxious and creating systems to avoid it, and much more.Also: right before we recorded this, Cameron interviewed me for her podcast. Check out that conversation on her feed here.We also get into:* How being hit by a car led Cameron to make some major life changes* How she rarely spends time on her phone but still manages to stay on top of texts and emails* Blocking time to handle small tasks in batches so you can stay more present throughout the day* Our occasional feelings of “jealousy” (feels more accurate than “mom guilt”) when handing over childcare* Her wild birth story of having contractions for weeks and being turned away by the hospital because of a bed shortage!Links: * Fair Play deck for couples* Cameron’s website* Her Instagram* Her podcast, Freckled Foodie and FriendsSubscribe to my weekly recipe newsletter here: whattocook.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

If you’re on Instagram, I can almost guarantee you’ve seen Caitlin Murray. She has a way of expressing exactly how many moms feel in the day-to-day grind while making you laugh out loud in the process.After I barely get through today’s intro (happy birthday, Mattis!), Caitlin and I talk about why we’re both out on extreme diets and restrictions and prefer a “damp” approach to alcohol these days… with the occasional full send.Plus, we talk about decisions about whether to have more kids, and how she knew her family was complete after the birth of her third.We also get into:* The vitamin/snack Caitlin’s all about right now* The quest for the perfect hairband* Our alternative to Dry January* Kids behaving totally different inside versus outside the house* Screen time for young kids* Our IRL LOLsLinks:* Gem Daily Essentials citrus ginger bites* Slip hairbands* High Noon* Caitlin’s Instagram: bigtimeadulting* Caitlin’s magazine, Soul Snacks (coming soon to Substack!)* Caitlin’s podcastGet my weekly recipe newsletter -- and the video version of this podcast -- here: whattocook.substack.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe

I recently asked you for your questions, feedback, and topics you want to hear more about and you gave me a ton of great ideas.One of the most common questions was a version of, “So what’s your deal? What’s your background, and what exactly do you do now?” Good question. How did I wind up as a recipe developer/cookbook author/whatever-I-decide-to-call-myself-that-day? You’re about to find out.In this first solo episode, I share my “villain origin story” along with, of course, a few of the things I’m into right now.I talk about where I come from, how I met my husband George, my crazy idea to start a catering company in San Diego, working in a test kitchen, and how that evolved into what I do today.Next solo episode, I’ll get into the nitty gritty of what my day-to-day looks like as a full-time creator, including how I make money, what I love about my job, what I don’t love as much, and my goals for 2024 and beyond.I also get into:* Is a few days apart occasionally a good thing for married couples? (yes)* The small but *wonderful* change I think you should make to your kitchen (possibly my favorite part of the renovation…?!)* How I learned to write recipes that people can clearly read, understand, and cook from* The story behind my “Just Married” cookbook* How COVID lockdowns inspired What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking* My weather-related So Out On and my IRL LOL of the week* How to make an egg quesadilla with chili crisp* My cookbook… coming soon!Links:* Kate Hutchison, the interior designer who designed our home* Red Clay Chili Crisp (code CARO15 should work)* Book Lovers by Emily Henry* Food writer and cookbook author Melissa Clark* My fave former boss, Ben Pote, has a restaurant in Greenwich, CT called Wildacre Rotisserie. Go visit him!sign up for my weekly "complete meal" recipe newsletter HERE 🍳: https://whattocook.substack.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whattocook.substack.com/subscribe