» Ever since fall hit a few weeks ago, I have wanted to cook just about everything. Of course, all the new cookbooks & amazing recipes that keep coming my way aren’t helping! Body + Soul (if you haven’t already guessed, I love this publication so much I ought to seek employment with them) has not one, but TWO galleries of amazing recipes. First up is a collection of all sorts of things to do with apples (did you hear that it’s apple season?!), whereas the second collection features lots of enticing soups. I’ll be sharing my recipe for chicken stock sometime in the future!

» The Pioneer Woman, whose cookbook is due out soon (I cannot wait to get my hands on it), created a super easy & delicious recipe for roasted garlic & new potatoes. I’ll definitely be trying this out soon!

» I made this ginger soup on Monday, only with chicken & without the shiitakes (they went bad before I could make the soup!), & it was divine. I’ll share my modifications probably sometime next week!

“I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.” Henry David Thoreau

» As we’re nearing the holidays, & my family is always asking for things I want (music? books?), I’ve been updating my Amazon wishlist. Or, rather, I’ve been adding things that I’d someday like (but no one can afford) to a list of things that have the usual assortment of books, movies, & music. What can I say? It’s rather fun finding things like a KitchenAid stand-up mixer (in the most perfect ice blue) & a $99 fancy German knife set! I certainly don’t need these items, but it is rather fun to dream! :)

» This may not fall within the realm of “fantastic,” but it’s definitely useful: the CDC has a nice page chock full of tips for dealing with illnesses in your home. Get to learnin’ before it hits your town!

» You may have heard that the Where the Wild Things Are movie comes out today! Newsweek has a wonderful interview with Maurice Sendak, Dave Eggers, & Spike Jonze. Turns out the movie was quite the labor of love between all the creators, which is always wonderful.

» This is a collection of free to download (although possibly not legally?) e-books. Just passing it along!

» Josh Groban singing various memorable tv show themes. I’m not sure you’ve really lived until you’ve heard him sing the South Park theme, nevermind the Fresh Prince theme!!

» I know I’ve featured this before, but I think everyone needs more wonder in their lives! I dare you to not smile while you listen to this. It’s impossible, I promise! :)