Now, for those of you that have done a lot of meeting icebreakers, I hear your collective “Uuh..ggh.” For those of you that have not, let me fill you in. Icebreakers are often “say your name and share something about yourself” types of activities intended to get everyone loosened-up and engaged. They tend to go awry when the prompt is too far-fetched and/or leads people to over-share. (A famous one that falls into this camp is “Tell us about an unusual talent that you have.” Half-way through the meeting you’re still watching someone balance teaspoons on their cheekbones).
Much to my pleasure, the icebreaker at this meeting was simple and genuinely informative: “Say your name and share the best book you’ve read in the past year.” Brilliant! I walked away with an awesome reading list, a conversation starter for every person in that room, and a little “off-script” treat for all of you. Here’s the list—wonderfully varied by genre and subject. (I’ll get on to the topic of recipes in just a minute.)
The Collective “Best Book” List (Lately) From Some Well-Read Folks:
- Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow
- The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
- The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
- The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
- A Column of Fire by Ken Follet
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
- Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, PhD
- The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
- The Lost Man by Jane Harper
- Anatomy of a Miracle by Jonathan Miles
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- The Defining Decade by Meg Jay*
*Apparently great for twenty-somethings and the parents of twenty-somethings.
Now that I’ve broken the ice with some lit talk, let’s dig-in on love. You know, Valentine’s Day is on the horizon. Are you a lover or a hater? I’m pretty down the middle. I love when the “pomp” is easy and sincere and hate that the “circumstance” is often contrived and out-of-the-ordinary. (It’s a beautiful thing to celebrate love, but must that celebration be so darn pink?)
I’m convinced that the fireside, all-inclusive dinner-for-two at that *it* restaurant is more recipe for heartache than it is heartfelt delight. Don’t we all really just want to share a plate of nachos, eat with our mini loves (a.k.a. kids) and put them to bed early, or have a glass of wine as we’re cooking with wine and then—”Oh, what the heck!”—polish off the bottle together? If you’re thinking I’m even remotely on to something, then check-out my Valentine’s Day menus and recipes options below:
- Menu 1: His & Hers Homemade Pizzas
This menu consists of my Citrus Fennel Flatbread over Arugula Salad and Hot Pistachio Pesto Pizza with Pepperoni. You don’t even need to declare which is “His” and which is “Hers,” just double-down together. - Menu 2: THAT Pasta
For this one, you gotta get crackin’ a bit early on Valentine’s Day—about 4 or 5pm—but from then on it’s smooth sailing. And nothing says velvety smooth (crushed velvet, really) than my Rustic Red Sauce & Rigatoni. It will only take you about 20 minutes to get all of the ingredients going in the pot, and then you can sit back and have that glass of wine that I promised you (bottle’s already open for the sauce!). I’m telling you, the aromas are like a hug. - Menu 3: Bada Bing Bada Boom
If you want to whip up something fancy and fast, make my Tuscan White Bean & Rice Soup with Seared Shrimp and Warm Garlicky Greens with Ciabatta Croutons. The whole shebang (plus candlesticks) can be on the table in under an hour. - Menu 4: Nachos & Netflix
Alright, alright—you can pick-up one of the books mentioned above after Valentine’s Day. On the day of love, share my 7-Layer Mediterranean Nachos with your love(s) lounge-style.
Hope your February is full of love, laughter, good cooking and good reading.
