Catherine Nicolai

We made up games in an instant, played them until we thought up a better one, and then played that. Game night always reminded me how vital fun was. how good it felt to laugh until my cheeks hurt. And now, instead of waking up bleary-eyed and head achy on New Year's Day, I was guaranteed to wake up feeling like a kid again.

We made up games in an instant, played them until we thought up a better one, and then played that. Game night always reminded me how vital fun was. how good it felt to laugh until my cheeks hurt. And now, instead of waking up bleary-eyed and head achy on New Year's Day, I was guaranteed to wake up feeling like a kid again.

We had a bit of cleaning up to do before our guests arrived, and we divvied up the jobs. there was firewood to be brought in, food to prepare, and a few scraps of wrapping paper still kicking around under the sofa in the living room to be picked up. I volunteered for all kitchen-related chores and left my better half to attend to the rest. I always opted to be in the kitchen if I could.

We had a bit of cleaning up to do before our guests arrived, and we divvied up the jobs. there was firewood to be brought in, food to prepare, and a few scraps of wrapping paper still kicking around under the sofa in the living room to be picked up. I volunteered for all kitchen-related chores and left my better half to attend to the rest. I always opted to be in the kitchen if I could.

We had a bit of cleaning up to do before our guests arrived, and we divvied up the jobs. there was firewood to be brought in, food to prepare, and a few scraps of wrapping paper still kicking around under the sofa in the living room to be picked up. I volunteered for all kitchen-related chores and left my better half to attend to the rest. I always opted to be in the kitchen if I could.

It never felt like work to me. Not when I could turn on some music, dance around in my socks, and chop and sauté, and wind up with something delicious at the end. I started by making a soup, something thick and hearty for a cold December night. I took a couple leeks from the fridge. I thought they looked like green onions that had grown up and lived adult lives now.

It never felt like work to me. Not when I could turn on some music, dance around in my socks, and chop and sauté, and wind up with something delicious at the end. I started by making a soup, something thick and hearty for a cold December night. I took a couple leeks from the fridge. I thought they looked like green onions that had grown up and lived adult lives now.

It never felt like work to me. Not when I could turn on some music, dance around in my socks, and chop and sauté, and wind up with something delicious at the end. I started by making a soup, something thick and hearty for a cold December night. I took a couple leeks from the fridge. I thought they looked like green onions that had grown up and lived adult lives now.

I sliced them into coins and dropped them into the colander to rinse in the sink. Leeks are grown in sandy soil and need to be washed carefully before they're cooked. Some might find that a pain, but I liked all the small, fiddly parts of cooking. Dicing things into even pieces, snipping herbs from stems, and even washing leeks.

I sliced them into coins and dropped them into the colander to rinse in the sink. Leeks are grown in sandy soil and need to be washed carefully before they're cooked. Some might find that a pain, but I liked all the small, fiddly parts of cooking. Dicing things into even pieces, snipping herbs from stems, and even washing leeks.

I sliced them into coins and dropped them into the colander to rinse in the sink. Leeks are grown in sandy soil and need to be washed carefully before they're cooked. Some might find that a pain, but I liked all the small, fiddly parts of cooking. Dicing things into even pieces, snipping herbs from stems, and even washing leeks.

Once they were squeaky clean, I sauteed them in the bottom of a giant soup pot. with olive oil and a pinch of salt. While they cooked down, I overturned a bag of golden potatoes onto the counter and started peeling and chopping. Then in with the potatoes and broth and fresh thyme and black pepper.

Once they were squeaky clean, I sauteed them in the bottom of a giant soup pot. with olive oil and a pinch of salt. While they cooked down, I overturned a bag of golden potatoes onto the counter and started peeling and chopping. Then in with the potatoes and broth and fresh thyme and black pepper.

Once they were squeaky clean, I sauteed them in the bottom of a giant soup pot. with olive oil and a pinch of salt. While they cooked down, I overturned a bag of golden potatoes onto the counter and started peeling and chopping. Then in with the potatoes and broth and fresh thyme and black pepper.

I had a grandfather who believed wholeheartedly in the healing properties of black pepper, and I always added an extra pinch for him. I set the soup to simmer away and turned to the next task. The soup would be perfect to serve up in cups between rounds. But we also needed finger foods that wouldn't interrupt our all-important play.

I had a grandfather who believed wholeheartedly in the healing properties of black pepper, and I always added an extra pinch for him. I set the soup to simmer away and turned to the next task. The soup would be perfect to serve up in cups between rounds. But we also needed finger foods that wouldn't interrupt our all-important play.

I had a grandfather who believed wholeheartedly in the healing properties of black pepper, and I always added an extra pinch for him. I set the soup to simmer away and turned to the next task. The soup would be perfect to serve up in cups between rounds. But we also needed finger foods that wouldn't interrupt our all-important play.

For this, I made muhammara, a delicious dip of Syrian origin that felt pretty fancy but came together in a flash. It was made with roasted red peppers, walnuts, breadcrumbs, chili flakes, and pomegranate molasses, all blended together in my food processor.

For this, I made muhammara, a delicious dip of Syrian origin that felt pretty fancy but came together in a flash. It was made with roasted red peppers, walnuts, breadcrumbs, chili flakes, and pomegranate molasses, all blended together in my food processor.

For this, I made muhammara, a delicious dip of Syrian origin that felt pretty fancy but came together in a flash. It was made with roasted red peppers, walnuts, breadcrumbs, chili flakes, and pomegranate molasses, all blended together in my food processor.