Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

Lisa

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Chocolate Malt Linzer Cookies

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Linzer cookies with chocolate filling and powdered sugar on top

It’s not uncommon for artists to wake up from a dream inspired to start a new creation. Michael often records voice memos of song ideas he’s had during the night. I, on the other hand, wake up to write down recipe ideas.

One of these ideas came to me months ago, but it just wasn’t time. But now that it’s high cookie season, I figured it was time to try that dream recipe out in the kitchen: Linzer cookies with a chocolate malt ganache filling.

What Are Linzer Cookies?

Linzer cookies are a bite-sized riff on the Austrian Linzer torte. This torte looks a lot like a tart—and it is made in a tart pan—but it’s still a torte. Go figure. The pastry crust for this dessert includes ground almonds, lemon zest and sometimes spices. It all encases a raspberry filling.

Linzer cookies have all those same flavors but are made sandwich-style with raspberry jam (or another fruit filling) in the center. Typically the top cookie of the sandwich has a small cutout to reveal the filling inside.

How to Make Chocolate Malt Linzer Cookies

My Linzer cookie recipe isn’t exactly traditional since it lacks the fruit filling, but my treat trays are already brimming with fruit-filled sweets like cream cheese pillows and fruit cake (yes, fruit cake is good—if you make Shauna Sever’s recipe from Midwest Made). But truly, who doesn’t like ganache?

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons malted milk powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Powdered sugar to garnish

For the ganache:

  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon malted milk powder

Step 1: Make the Linzer Cookie Dough

This cookie dough is simple enough to make. Start, as always, by creaming together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy—about five minutes. Then add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat another minute.

In another bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, almond flour, malted milk powder, cinnamon and salt). Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until just combined.

Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Step 2: Prep the Cookies

Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temp for about five minutes.

Dust your work surface with a bit of flour, then roll out the dough until it’s approximately 1/8-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many cookies as you can. Reroll the dough just once; any more than that and your cookies can become tough—and Linzer cookies are known for being wonderfully tender.

Now, take half your cookie cutouts and cut a smaller hole in the center of each. You can use a small cookie cutter or a pastry piping tip to cut a simple circle; a knife will even work in a pinch.

Step 3: Bake

Chill the cutouts in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking—or as long as it takes your oven to preheat to 350ºF.

Bake the cookies on a parchment-lined sheet at 350ºF for 11 to 13 minutes—until they just start to have a whisper of gold around the edges.

After baking, move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4: Make the Ganache

While the cookies cool, stir up the ganache. Start by chopping up the chocolate (any kind you like!) and adding it to a heat-safe bowl along with the butter.

Then whisk the cream and malted milk powder together. Heat in a small pot on the stove until the milk starts to bubble and simmer—not boil!

When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate and butter and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Then whisk whisk whisk until the mixture comes together in a rich ganache. Let the ganache cool in the bowl until it’s a good spreading consistency—about 15 minutes.

Step 5: Put It All Together

A dusting of snowy powdered sugar is a must for Linzer cookies. Give the cookies with the holes in them a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Then spread a bit of ganache onto the base of each cookie. Finish with the sugar-dusted topper, and serve!

These cookies are best within the first few days—up to a week.

Now, settle in with some cookies, a good book and soak up all the peace you can this holiday season!

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On Having Traditions Just for You

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Package of coffee from Stone Creek Coffee, a Kindle, an iced coffee and a small quiche on a table

I hold so many traditions — particularly holiday traditions — close to my heart. Every year, Michael and I stir up a batch of Irish cream together, we share oplatki with my in-laws every Christmas Eve (a nod to our Polish roots) and watch all the Bob’s Burgers Christmas episodes during winter break.

But as important as it is to share these annual rituals, I’d argue it’s just as important to have a few traditions that are for just you. These don’t need to be time-consuming or major, they just need to be comforting.

I’ve found having some solo traditions can be very grounding during tough times, can provide much-needed stillness during busy seasons and bring joy because you deserve a little magic, too.

Here are the Christmastime traditions that I hold just for myself:

Christmas Wrapping

I love wrapping gifts. Picking the paper, finding pretty bows (less so now that we have a curious kitten at home) and nestling all the packages under the tree.

But the tradition here is not the wrapping, it’s the when. Since I’ve been young, I don’t allow myself to wrap a gift until December 1. It’s a good way to kick off the Christmas season — and it can help put me in the spirit when I may not be quite ready.

A Holiday Coffee Stop

Don’t get me wrong: I will stop and get regular mint mochas from Thanksgiving to the New Year, but once a season, I’ll slow down and take myself on a coffee date—often as a reward for finishing up holiday shopping or baking.

This typically happens on a Saturday morning shortly before Christmas. I like to hit up Stone Creek Coffee, order a nice coffee, pick up a bag of their seasonal Bumble roast (a treat I like to share with the family on Christmas morning) and settle in with a book for a short while.

Watching White Christmas

I didn’t grow up watching this Christmas classic, but it’s a film that’s fully ingrained itself in my holiday season as an adult.

And it’s a movie I’ve never watched alongside anyone. I’ve always enjoyed White Christmas solo on a snowy afternoon or during an evening wrapping gifts. It’s such a lovely movie and one that makes me weep every time.

Holiday Baking

This is a tradition that is close to me no matter who is in the kitchen. I like to bake with my mom whenever I can. I also had a fabulous time baking cookies with my nephews and sister-in-law last December.

But I always enjoy taking some time to bake on my own during the holidays. While I love making pioneer molasses cookies and spritz with my mom, I have a few bakes I always make on a just-me day in the kitchen: chocolate-almond mandelbrot, white fruitcake (it is delicious) and babka.

Christmas Crafts

Crafting might just be my favorite part of Christmas—especially when paired with a Christmas movie or Christmas audiobook. Every year I tackle a project or two—sometimes for gifting, sometimes just for fun.

A few years back, I was in Christmas cross-stitch mode. Last year, I sewed zippered pouches for most of my family. This year, I made woven star ornaments (a project I’d bookmarked at least two years ago). At the end of the season, I never regret being up to my elbows in thread.

It might be late in the season, but I hope you still find some time for yourself!

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Hey, DSHA!

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A few weeks ago, I announced my departure from Taste of Home. After six years, I knew it was time to pursue other opportunities.

I’m happy to report that I’ve taken on the role of Digital Marketing Director at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School.

This is a major shift for me! I’ve spent my entire career in writing-centric roles. This role will, of course, include writing, but it encompasses so much more. And I’m really excited to be part of a smaller team and to work for an organization that supports young women.

And yes, even though I haven’t been in school for more than 10 years, all those first-day-of-school feelings were present walking inside for my first day (and I did take the obligatory first day of school photo)! I am doing my very best not to go overboard with new office supplies—but if you know me, you know that’s incredibly hard to do.

Here’s to new beginnings!

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My Favorite Holiday + Christmas Reads

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When the tree goes up in my house, it’s finally time to embrace cozy Christmastime reading. To me, there’s not much better this time of year than snuggling up with a cup of coffee and a good book beside the glow of our trees.

Without further ado, here are my favorite lighthearted reads for the holidays.

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

This was the first cozy rom-com I ever read, and it converted me to the genre.

In The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, city gal and pastry chef Olivia moves to rural Vermont after a spectacular falling out at her country club job. During her tenure at the Sugar Maple Inn, Olivia settles into country life, endears herself to her curmudgeonly new boss and even meets a boomerang beau (a guy who lived in the country, tried life in Seattle and then returned home to care for his father).

At first blush, this book sounds like a Hallmark movie pressed between covers and bound, but I assure you it’s so much better than any of those made-for-TV movies.

One Day in December by Josie Silver

In this Christmas book, Laurie catches the eye of a handsome man through the window of a bus. Somehow, she knows this guy is someone she wants to pursue.

Over the years, Laurie looks for her mystery man and is unsuccessful—until her friend introduces Laurie to her new boyfriend at a party. This boyfriend is, of course, bus boy.

One Day in December plays out over the course of years (and does take a second to settle into), but it does keep you ensconced in the characters through every turn.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss

This just might be my gold standard of cozy holiday reading! Is it slightly predictable? Sure! But that in no way takes away from enjoying this Christmas book.

So what’s the setup here? Well, Kate reluctantly agrees to participate in a series of blind dates—12 of them—to find a connection before the holidays hit. Over the course of the dates, there are hits, misses and plenty of seasonal activities. Delightful!

I recommend this one as an audiobook to listen to while you wrap gifts or bake Christmas cookies.

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

Is the premise of this book absolutely inconceivable? Yes! But so is the plot of 1998’s The Parent Trap, and that is a masterpiece.

Now, Kiss Her Once for Me isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a great holiday read. In this infectious rom-com barista (and one-time animator) Ellie agrees to marry her cafe’s landlord, Andrew, so he can gain access to his trust fund—and give her a small portion.

Of course, they have to do the whole fake dating thing. The catch here isn’t that they catch feels necessarily; it’s that during a family getaway with her faux fiance’s family, Ellie discovers that she once had a super intense (though short-lived) connection with his sibling Jac. What’s a gal to do during the holidays?

The Hygge Holiday by Rosie Blake

Full admission: I didn’t even remember there was a romance element to this book until I reread the summary—and I think that’s part of the charm of The Hygge Holiday.

In this book, Danish ex-pat Klara settles into a small English town. While she thinks her stay will be temporary, Klara soon makes it her to reinvent the town’s small toy shop. With lots of nods to slowness, coziness and overall hygge vibes, this book satisfies and reminds you to take it easy—even during this busy season.

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

I think this book (yes, another by Jenny Bayliss) is the perfect read for that lazy stretch of time between Christmas and New Year’s.

In A Season for Second Chances, Annie heads off to the countryside to recoup after splitting from her husband. She’s happy to find a job as a caretaker for a small cafe for the wintertime. Of course, Annie can’t just let the cafe sit there (it looks sad!), so with the blessing of the wonder (a charming old woman) she decides to give the space new life and embrace living in a quaint small town—book club and all.

Now, does the charming old woman’s nephew like this plan? Of course not! But over the chapters, feelings shift, and Annie finds that her seaside stay might become home.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads! Also, if you’re an audiobook fan, I encourage you to try Libro.fm—you can support your favorite small bookstore while downloading your next listen.

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30 Days of Thanks 2023 // Week 5

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Welcome to the last installment of 2023’s gratitude series. Following these prompts is immensely helpful to me, and I hope you’ve taken some time to look back on your year with fondness as well.

Day 25: Comfort

I’m wonderfully lucky to have a spouse who values creature comforts and cozy times as much as I do.

Each Sunday, Michael and I make coffee and enjoy an episode of SNL or Bob’s Burgers or something equally as silly along with the cats. This is one ritual that we’ve kept up for years. It’s a small one, but one that’s incredibly comfy and one I’m grateful for.

Day 26: Fun

While Michael and I planned a lot of our trip to Ireland—including touring the Cliffs of Moher, kayaking Dalkey Bay and seeing some James Joyce hot spots—we left plenty of space for wandering and taking in the sights as we saw fit.

On an open-ended evening in Dublin, we checked out The Brazen Head. At the pub, we made friends with a few folks from Germany, Norway and Ireland. That night, we all laughed, danced and saw a part of Dublin that was off the beaten path (though what is pictured above is on a very well-beaten path). It was tremendously fun, and a part of our trip I’ll never forget.

Day 27: Dreams

This year, we made a lot of our dreams come true. Michael and I managed not only to travel to Ireland (a dream years in the making) but also remodel part of our home. I landed a new job too!

All these dreams took time—and much more time than I ever anticipated. I think this waiting was definitely a lesson for me. But no matter the timeframe, I’m so happy and grateful so many dreams came true in 2023.

Day 28: Happiness

I have so many moments of happiness to be grateful for this year, but this photo seems to encapsulate a feeling of unexpected joy.

This was taken in Nashville at the Gallery of Iconic Guitars. I visited back in February as part of a press trip. Now, I’m not a guitarist by any stretch of the imagination (yes, even though I got an A in my guitar course in college 1,000 years ago), but it was so much fun to play around a bit. This trip was full of so many unexpectedly wonderful moments like visiting the Grand Ole Opry, eating at Chauhan Ale and Masala House and catching live music, well, pretty much everywhere.

Day 29: Family

I am so grateful for my nearest and dearest. They make life fun and interesting and rich and warm.

I get an extra dose of this each summer when my mom, sisters, aunts and I visit northern Wisconsin. We spend the week gossiping, playing games, eating great food and floating in the pool. It truly doesn’t get better.

Day 30: Growth

I spent so much of this year thinking about work. I can’t stand that it occupied so much of my mental space, but here’s a little background on why that was:

As the year dawned, I felt excited to take on more work on Taste of Home’s print edition. When spring came, there were major shifts that eliminated so many parts of my job that I loved. I spent the summer searching for new careers in publishing.

But when fall arrived, I realized that my heart didn’t lie in the publishing or food spaces anymore. Recognizing that shift within myself was really significant for me.

So even though I will miss many aspects of my old job, I’ve grown beyond it and hope to grow even more in my new role (more later!). Even though the journey was challenging, I’m grateful for where it took me.

Thanks for keeping up with this series. I appreciate you for reading!

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What I Read // November 2023

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November wasn’t a big reading month for me. It was a big month for all sorts of other things, though, like accepting a new job offer, tying up loose ends at Taste of Home, selling hoops and readying our home for the holidays. However, I did squeeze in four books between all the hoopla.

The Haar by David Sondergren • ★★★☆☆

I found myself craving a change of pace after reading several rom-coms and domestic thrillers last month or so. I was craving something new. I picked up The Haar after seeing it recommended on BookTok a while back, and I blitzed through it in just three days.

Muriel’s small Scottish village of Witchhaven is being taken over by a greedy American investor hoping to build a golf course. She’s one of the few remaining residents refusing to give up her home. Because the rich are often evil, the investor starts taking drastic and sometimes violent measures to intimidate the folks who refuse to budge—including Muriel. Well, things change when she finds—for lack of a better term—a glob on the beach.

It’s The Fog meets The Shape of Water. I enjoyed it—especially for the $2.99 price, however, it’s likely not for everyone.

Back in a Spell by Lana Harper • ★★★☆☆

This is the third installment in the Witches of Thistle Grove series. Back in a Spell is all about Nina Blackmoore.

The previous installments all painted the Blackmoore family as being a clan of villains, but I appreciated how Back in a Spell made a distinction between the actually evil family members and the younger generation. It gave the family—and the universe this takes place in—a bit more depth.

And unlike the previous two books in this series—Payback’s a Witch and From Bad to Cursed—this was very much about the protagonist and their internal struggles rather than some outside issue to be tackled. That switch makes me feel like the installments to come in this series will continue to be varied.

My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska? by Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 • 🎧 • ★★★☆☆

Did you know Spotify has audiobooks now? I’m pretty impressed with the selection thus far—especially for newer reads. For example, Lessons in Chemistry has a six-month wait at my library. I can get it right away on Spotify! (This is in no way a dig at the library—I love MPL!)

Despite the ability to listen to these hot releases right away with Spotify, I decided to kick off my listening on the platform with Alaska’s memoir.

It was honestly delightful, and that’s in large part due to their performance of the book. If you’re a Drag Race fan, this is a good one to pick up.

Lease on Love by Falon Ballard • 🎧 • ★★☆☆☆

I try to time my reads right for the year. That means all the spooky reads in early fall and plenty of Christmasy romances in December. I picked up Lease on Love based on a Buzzfeed list of Thanksgiving-adjacent books.

I sort of wish I would have just skipped ahead to holiday romance mode. The characters in Lease on Love were just so flat to me, and the protagonist, Sadie, was unlikeable. Sadie’s inner monologue was all about knowing how hot she was and how much she loved vanilla lattes and how nerdy her roommate was for liking Lord of the Rings.

Also, if I have to read or hear the phrase “kitchen peninsula” one more time, I’ll scream. Why did this architectural feature get mentioned multiple times per chapter?

If this wasn’t an audiobook I could power through during craft fair prep, I would have stopped midway.

As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads! Also, if you’re an audiobook fan, I encourage you to try Libro.fm—you can support your favorite small bookstore while downloading your next listen.

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30 Days of Thanks 2023 // Week 4

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It’s Thanksgiving week. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday full of good food and a bit of relaxing.

Day 18: Rest

I’m so thankful that I get to take a bit of time between jobs.

While I’m planning to tackle some tasks around the house (like deep cleaning pre-Christmas and painting our bedroom), I’m also planning to unwind with some Great British Bake Off and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK. I’m thankful that I’m able to take a little rest before rolling into the holiday and a new job.

Day 19: Laughter

One of my favorite parts of working for Taste of Home was writing print headlines. Typically the more niche ones never made it out of brainstorming meetings—with the exception of this one.

This one from the October/November 2023 issue is the peak of my headline writing career—even better than “The Way We Stir” for a mixer review. I’m thankful to Rachel and Annamarie for humoring me so often (and for letting this one go to print).

Day 20: Seasons

I’m doing my best right now to appreciate all seasons of life. Some seasons are for growth or change or worry or joy. “To everything, there is a season,” as they say.

And this photo is Michael’s pumpkin from Halloween. We had snow, and it was delightful!

Day 21: Color

We ditched our green carpet earlier this year. I had a lot of feelings about it.

In the end, though, ridding ourselves of some very old, very green carpet did very little in terms of draining color from our home. I think our home is as colorful as always—maybe more so! We have a lovely orange rug now, more art than ever and a fresh green bathroom. I love that our home is so vibrant.

Day 22: Technology

This year, I’ve been craving being online less. I’ve realized that the internet doesn’t have as much to offer me. Instead, I’ve been trying to focus on more analog activities, like stitching, quilting and reading. It’s been good for me.

So let’s just say I’m thankful for technology, but just as grateful to be drawing some healthy boundaries for myself with it.

Day 23: Home

2023 was a big year for our home! This year we finally got to remodeling our bathroom and stairwell (and by we I mean 95% hired professionals and 5% Michael and myself).

It is a major change and it has totally improved our life here. Our bathroom is stunning and functional. Our steps are no longer a death trap. In fact, they’re now a beautiful focal point when you walk in the door.

Thank you to Pekel Construction & Remodeling and the team of talented craftspeople who made this all happen. And a special shoutout to Jerry from Jerry’s Tile who who did phenomenal work and got the job done right and to Jen from Colorwheel Painting who took such care with our home.

Day 24: Inspiration

This July, Michael and I visited Ireland, and it was better than I ever thought possible. This trip hit on all the marks for me: nature, city, relaxation, adventure and learning. It also was incredibly inspiring. I came home from Ireland with plenty of creative energy and inspiration.

This trip took some time to tackle (we were originally planning on summer 2020), but it was absolutely worth the wait. I’m so thankful we were finally able to go and that our time there has provided us both with inspiration galore.

I’ll be keeping up with this series for the rest of the month. Stay tuned and please join in if you’re so inclined!

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A New Look for Cabin in the City

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I’ve been craving freshness lately. That means a new job (I just left Taste of Home after six years!), a deep clean of the house, new paint in the bedroom and now a new blog theme!

It’s been nine years since I started this site, and an update was very much overdue. This new theme is from Code + Coconut, and I’m really happy with it. It’s been so easy to customize with colors and fonts. I’ll probably be futzing with it for a bit longer, but I’m so happy with the change!

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30 Days of Thanks 2023 // Week 3

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It’s been a big week here! Today is my last day at Taste of Home and tomorrow I’m gearing up to sell holiday hoops at the Walker’s Point Makers Market and Bar Hop. I have a lot of wonderful things going on, including these things I’m thankful for.

Day 11: Memories

My great-aunt’s religious order is selling their motherhouse and convent and much of what’s inside. My family and I saw this as an opportunity not only to visit with my charming aunt, but to visit the convent for perhaps the final time.

While this space belongs to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, I have plenty of lovely memories here. As a child, I got to visit the orchards and farm on the grounds. When I was a bit older, we all celebrated my aunt at her 50th jubilee. Later, we’d come to visit my aunt and take tours of the old chapel and the stunning 60s-era church. Michael and I even got married at the Mound back in 2017.

I treasure all of these memories, and I’m so glad I got to enjoy this space while I could. I’m also thankful that I was able to take home a few small pieces of the place (I purchased some art and a small holy water font at their estate sale). I know it held so much meaning for the nuns who lived, worked and prayed there. They have been nothing but gracious in its transition. I hope to embody a bit of that spirit in my own way.

Day 12: Beauty

On top of a fantastic vacation in Ireland this year, I also got to visit France! This trip was sponsored by Fromage from Europe, and it was really delightful. Besides tasting an absurd number of cheeses, the folks who put the trip together coordinated a visit to Chateau de Chenonceu.

While I loved seeing the castles in Ireland, this chateau definitely had all those fairy-tale vibes. Seeing the facade as I walked up the driveway felt downright magical.

Press trips of all kinds, but especially this one, are a huge privilege and one I’m so thankful I got to take advantage of during my time at Taste of Home.

Day 13: Kindness

I am grateful for so many acts of kindness this year. Small and large gestures of kindness and thoughtfulness filled this year with ease and light.

One small act of kindness that I think of fondly, though, is when a man saw Michael and me taking photos of Dublin Castle through scaffolding and construction. He was kind enough to show us a better view and took lots of photos for us (including many on kooky angles like this one). He also shared plenty of jokes, stories about Irish history and where to get a good order of fish and chips. Gerald, you’re a gem, and thank you for giving us such a warm welcome to Dublin!

Day 14: Love

There is nothing better than being loved by (and loving) my mom.

Day 15: Emotions

When we packed up to leave our home during renovations, I turned all sorts of mopey. But when I checked in on the progress just a few days in, I was totally overcome in the best way.

The work all the craftspeople did was astounding. I teared up the first time I walked down our new stairs (shortly after I took the photo above). Seeing this work filled me with joy and appreciation, and I’m so thankful for the folks who had the skills to make this happen.

Day 16: Music

One of the best parts of visiting Ireland was the music. Everywhere you turned, you’d hear someone playing guitar in the street or hear an Irish trad band from a nearby pub. It made so much of the trip feel magical.

I think one of my favorite moments of our whole trip was walking the streets of Galway our first evening and hearing a trio of girls playing “Dreams” by the Cranberries, one of my favorite songs of all time. It’s a memory I’ll treasure for ages to come.

Day 17: Animals

Each year with this prompt, I mention my wonderful cats. These two are what truly make our house feel like a home. I am so thankful for Mukki and Ember—even when they’re being naughty.

I’ll be keeping up with this series all November long. Stay tuned!

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Farewell, Taste of Home

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I’ve spent the last six years as an editor at Taste of Home. Saying good bye to this role is incredibly bittersweet.

Starting at Taste of Home more than six years ago, I was absolutely thrilled. I felt like I had finally found my niche. Food (particularly baking) plus writing plus a company headquartered right in Milwaukee? It was a dream come true.

Over the years, I accomplished a lot of really wonderful things. I ran the brand’s baking club, headed up dozens of taste tests, traveled across the country (and even abroad) to learn about food, saw one of my recipes on the cover of the magazine and even got to talk to Dolly Parton. These are achievements that I will treasure for a lifetime (particularly talking to Dolly!).

But work is, as always, more than just a job. Over the last six years, I’ve met some wildly talented folks and I’m happy to count so many of them among my friends.

While I wasn’t able to climb as high as I wanted with Taste of Home, there are so many positives I have to take with me as I continue my career elsewhere.

Before I start that next chapter, here are some facts about my six years with Taste of Home. I cannot believe I wrote more than 114 taste tests! Not all were delicious, but they sure were fun. And if you want to dive into my catalog, check out my complete Taste of Home digital portfolio (and my professional portfolio for kicks!).