Friday Favorites {Book recs, herbs & recipe, plus party planning}

Sharing a few of my favorite books and what's happening in my kitchen this summer, plus an unexpected graduation event

Hello friend!

Due to a change in our graduation party plans (sharing more below), I wasn’t able to include my Favorites in this week’s newsletter. So here I am at the end of the week, offering some of my favorite books, resources, and a recipe!

Favorite Resources and Recommendations

On My Book Stack: 

Something New:

Not only do I consider Susan Yates a dear mentor, but she is also a good friend. I’m so grateful for her wisdom and her enthusiasm for life! I tell people, “I want to be just like her when I grow up.”

One of the (many) things I admire about Susan is her commitment to love her family well. And I LOVE the Yates’ tradition of an annual Cousin Camp—with all 22 grandchildren! Even if you don’t have that many grandchildren, perhaps any grandchildren at all, this book is full of fun and practical ideas on connecting with and loving the next generation. We are just starting our grandparenting journey, but the possibilities inspire me!

Content: Christian. The intended audience is grandparents, but it would be interesting and helpful to anyone looking for ways to connect with extended family.

Cousin Camp: A GrandparGrandparent'so Creating Fun, Faith, and Memories That Last

(I don’t know how long it will be on sale, but it was listed at 46% off on Amazon when I recently checked!)¹

Something Old: 

Like many people, I’m quite taken with Wendel Berry, especially his Port Williams series. And if I had to pick a favorite, I’d say it’s Hannah Coulter. While this book is part of a series, it’s not one of those you must read in order, so you might as well begin with Hannah!

And if you’re new to Wendel Berry, I should tell you that this is slow, simple storytelling (in the best sense) that takes you back to a time when family and community were strong, kind, and loyal. When life wasn’t so fast-paced, the work was harder, and your neighbors cared about you. But I’ll also say this book wouldn't be for you if you’re looking for a thriller or complex plot.

I’ve read this book several times but have been listening to it on Audible for the last couple of weeks while I iron the linens (yes, you read that right :) for the Cascades Ranch Guesthouse. I’d iron all day if I could listen to this story!

Content: Secular. Generally wholesome, but not without some sadness or the world’s heartbreak.

Hannah Coulter

Hannah Coulter (on Audible)

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In Our Kitchen: 

Do you know how they say everyone has their passion? Well, mine happens to be fresh herbs. I first fell in love about 15 years ago with growing and cooking with fresh herbs; our lives (or at least our kitchen) have never been the same sense.

So, if you’re new to herbs or perhaps only thought of them as something you find in a spice jar, I will do my best to convince you that homegrown herbs are simply the BEST. They’re easy to grow, and the benefits are beyond worth the effort.

Honestly? Herbs are the secret ingredient for almost everything I make. Here are only a few of the ways I use them to turn an ordinary dish into an extraordinary one:

• Chop herbs finely and sprinkle throughout your salad. Any combination works great! But some of my favorites are thyme, tarragon, chives, lemon balm, and mint. And I often combine several of these to make an everyday salad suddenly memorable.

• My husband makes eggs for us every morning, and my “job” is to go out and cut the herbs for that morning’s eggs. He’ll fold the herbs in an omelet or sprinkle on fried eggs. Magic.

• Making soup? Drop in fresh rosemary, sage, or oregano!

• Or I’ll add chopped herbs to add to just about anything as a topping: cilantro, basil, chives, tarragon, parsley, or dill. Looks fancy, tastes fantastic.

Can you tell that I could go on and on? But I’ll stop there and encourage (urge?) you to start an herb garden if you haven’t already! Pick 3 or 4 herbs and see where it takes you.

I recently shared this same recipe with one of my daughters, so I thought I’d share it with you, too. My friend, Chels, has this delicious recipe for Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs—one of those easy but delicious (and impressive) dishes.

It’s also perfect for using the leftovers for a chicken salad or sandwiches the following day, so much so that I’m inclined to roast two chickens—one for dinner that night and another for “leftovers” for another meal.

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs

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* Our Homeschool Graduate 2024

Hospitality In Our Home:

So, the plan was to tell you all about the small dinner party we were hosting for Hakon’s homeschool graduation with family and a few close friends. However, the word got out that we were doing “a little something,” and yesterday (yes, yesterday!), a bunch of our wonderful friends weighed in and told Matt, “Hey, we want to celebrate Hakon too!”

So the next thing I knew, our (my) dinner party plans for 15 (white tablecloth, wildflowers, and china set out on the back patio…you can picture it, can’t you?) suddenly became a casual barbecue for 40. I quickly traded out the china for a tall stack of graduation paper plates and ordered mounds of hamburger from our favorite Larkin Valley Ranch and rolls from a local bakery. Our sweet friends are all pitching in and bringing watermelon, salads, brownies, and such.

And now, rather than going around the table and quietly sharing something special about Hakon, we’re going to be playing volleyball and cornhole. It will be loud and playful and tons of fun. And the more I think about it, probably much more enjoyable for our graduate than my original idea.

So, I hope you understand if I keep this short for today. I’ve got to get ready for the festivities tonight. Whew. But I look forward to telling you all the behind-the-scenes details next week!

In His grace,

Lisa Jacobson

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1. Just a reminder that this is NOT an affiliate link. I’m sharing books I enjoy and/or benefit from in case they interest you, too.