Not A Single Fork

Planners at the ready? Let’s take control and plan this sucker!

So, here’s the thing.

You can make anything into a huge overwhelming, life-draining monster or you can do what we do and beat the living crap out of the thing with laughter, friends and a plan. We are here to help, as usual.

And it is really all about the planning. You simply can’t wait until the day before a huge project like Thanksgiving and expect to execute with authority, aplomb (look it up) and no stress. Ain’t happenin’ friends. Now, of course, you can farm all of this out and have everything catered and planned by someone else. But let’s face it, as we’ve noted before, not all of us have Martha Stewart’s budget or staff.

You don’t have to do the dinner yourself and if you’re one of the younger family members, chances are you’re arriving at the festivities, wine bottle in hand and, if so, good for you! If you’re a little older, you could be producing the event yourself.

We have suggestions for both sides of the operation and how to keep your cool (remember you have no control over anyone else’s cool) and have a good time. Once more, in case you missed it in the last episode, here is the link to the great print-it-off-yourself calendar months. No reason to spend extra money buying calendars for an entire year…unless you’re into that. Here’s the link:

PRINT YOUR OWN BLANK MONTHLY CALENDAR (http://www.pdfcalendar.com/monthly/)

Since we are “free ranging” during our episode discussions (listen in to get that joke), here is a list because I love lists. And, we make every effort to pull together many of the endless lists online that can contribute to the overwhelm. Keep in mind, we are pre-planning here for the big day. Cooking and preparing for that comes next so I guess you’ll have to listen to the next episode for that one.

READY, SET, PLAN! (and, by all means, grab a glass of wine)

Are you hosting the party? Then, what kind of party do you want to have? How many people?What about the general menu? Classic/traditional, something entirely different or a mix of both?How much can you do and what are you going to delegate?Pick out your recipes and maybe assign a recipe to different people.Compare the ingredients on your recipes (the ones you’re making only) with what you already have. Cross out anything you already have. You don’t need to double up on stuff this time of year. The more space the better!Do you need any cooking gear that you don't have? Turkey roaster, potato ricer, Instant Pot… Before you go on a shopping spree, ask around to friends and family and see if you can borrow. Unless you’re dying to have an airfryer, no need to buy one.How are you going to serve? Buffet, family-style? We love standing and grazing on apps with cocktails before dinner. Do you have enough dishware/serveware, chairs, linens, card tables, etc.? Make a list, so you don’t forget.How are you decorating? You could delegate some of that, for sure. Decorating is the last thing I think of and the first thing Natalia thinks of! Make your decorations list now. Candles, anyone?Now think about shopping. You will probably need to do it more than once. One fell swoop is stressful and not very fun so divide items into different categories,

Planners at the ready? Let’s take control and plan this sucker!

So, here’s the thing.

You can make anything into a huge overwhelming, life-draining monster or you can do what we do and beat the living crap out of the thing with laughter, friends and a plan. We are here to help, as usual.

And it is really all about the planning. You simply can’t wait until the day before a huge project like Thanksgiving and expect to execute with authority, aplomb (look it up) and no stress. Ain’t happenin’ friends. Now, of course, you can farm all of this out and have everything catered and planned by someone else. But let’s face it, as we’ve noted before, not all of us have Martha Stewart’s budget or staff.

You don’t have to do the dinner yourself and if you’re one of the younger family members, chances are you’re arriving at the festivities, wine bottle in hand and, if so, good for you! If you’re a little older, you could be producing the event yourself.

We have suggestions for both sides of the operation and how to keep your cool (remember you have no control over anyone else’s cool) and have a good time. Once more, in case you missed it in the last episode, here is the link to the great print-it-off-yourself calendar months. No reason to spend extra money buying calendars for an entire year…unless you’re into that. Here’s the link:

PRINT YOUR OWN BLANK MONTHLY CALENDAR (http://www.pdfcalendar.com/monthly/)

Since we are “free ranging” during our episode discussions (listen in to get that joke), here is a list because I love lists. And, we make every effort to pull together many of the endless lists online that can contribute to the overwhelm. Keep in mind, we are pre-planning here for the big day. Cooking and preparing for that comes next so I guess you’ll have to listen to the next episode for that one.

READY, SET, PLAN! (and, by all means, grab a glass of wine)

Are you hosting the party? Then, what kind of party do you want to have? How many people?What about the general menu? Classic/traditional, something entirely different or a mix of both?How much can you do and what are you going to delegate?Pick out your recipes and maybe assign a recipe to different people.Compare the ingredients on your recipes (the ones you’re making only) with what you already have. Cross out anything you already have. You don’t need to double up on stuff this time of year. The more space the better!Do you need any cooking gear that you don't have? Turkey roaster, potato ricer, Instant Pot… Before you go on a shopping spree, ask around to friends and family and see if you can borrow. Unless you’re dying to have an airfryer, no need to buy one.How are you going to serve? Buffet, family-style? We love standing and grazing on apps with cocktails before dinner. Do you have enough dishware/serveware, chairs, linens, card tables, etc.? Make a list, so you don’t forget.How are you decorating? You could delegate some of that, for sure. Decorating is the last thing I think of and the first thing Natalia thinks of! Make your decorations list now. Candles, anyone?Now think about shopping. You will probably need to do it more than once. One fell swoop is stressful and not very fun so divide items into different categories,

You can make anything into a huge overwhelming, life-draining monster or you can do what we do and beat the living crap out of the thing with laughter, friends and a plan. We are here to help, as usual.

And it is really all about the planning. You simply can’t wait until the day before a huge project like Thanksgiving and expect to execute with authority, aplomb (look it up) and no stress. Ain’t happenin’ friends. Now, of course, you can farm all of this out and have everything catered and planned by someone else. But let’s face it, as we’ve noted before, not all of us have Martha Stewart’s budget or staff.

You don’t have to do the dinner yourself and if you’re one of the younger family members, chances are you’re arriving at the festivities, wine bottle in hand and if so, good for you! If you’re a little older, you could be producing the event yourself.

Get ready because we are.

I’ll say it again, I LOVE Halloween. Frankly, I love the holiday season. Not everything indiscriminately but I love a lot of it. I know there are lots of people who don’t (we talked about that in the first episode) so in the interest of spreading goodwill (not in a cheesy way, I hope), we want everyone to enjoy it as much as we do. Even though, we work in the food industry and it is CA-RAZY, we still make sure to have fun. Part of the way we do that is by keeping our sense of humor and being organized so we’re sharing both of those with you.

The point of these first two episodes, not unlike the first few episodes of Season 1, is to lay the groundwork for a fun-filled, stress-free, organized holiday season. We’re not going to tell you how you SHOULD do it because we don’t know you and what works for you but we’re going to share ideas about what we do.

So, here we go. What’s that organizational stuff? Well, since I’m a visual person, I like to see things. My go-to is a calendar so I suggest finding a printable calendar online. Ask and ye shall receive! Here is a link to a DIY month-by-month calendar. You can print it out one month per page at a time and bonus! There’s lots of room to write things in each day. Click on the link below to check it out:

Printable Calendar Months (http://www.pdfcalendar.com/monthly/)

We both use pencils a lot because “erasing” so you can change things and be flexible. But you can also get colorful post-it notes so that you can move things around. Get an idea of how many events, parties, etc you have and pencil them in on that month to get started. That’s just one of our ideas in this episode.

Here’s another take away…stop comparing yourself to others. We’re not necessarily talking about friends and family but okay, we’re talking about the magazines and TV shows and Martha Stewart that show you this picture perfect experience. My world, your world? NOT! So stop that! You do you. And, you can’t do it ALL. Only do as much as you and your family can handle and seeing it on a calendar, well, it can help. Be picky, it’s really okay.

We had a lot of fun recording this show and we hope you do too. Natalia shares her love of Martha Stewart (just in this particular situation), Jello shots and costumes. I’ve got the rundown on Halloween origins, my past perfectionism and a certain Disney character’s wig. So relax, have a laugh with us and enjoy this next episode. It’s Halloween!

Thanksgiving is next (two episodes because it takes two) where we really get into the checklists (my personal fave) and making it your best ever…whatever that means for you. You’ll also be meeting one of our favorite bloggers with her personal tips and tricks to help you get through the season with little kids.

If you’re interested in adding Prepdeck to your kitchen (and getting a 10% discount off the already great price) or just looking at their beautiful website with all kinds of fun ideas on it click the link below and it will magically (actually it’s just technology) take you there. We spell out the link for you in the episode but this is so much easier, right?

I’ll say it again, I LOVE Halloween. Frankly, I love the holiday season. Not everything indiscriminately but I love a lot of it. I know there are lots of people who don’t (we talked about that in the first episode) so in the interest of spreading goodwill (not in a cheesy way, I hope), we want everyone to enjoy it as much as we do. Even though, we work in the food industry and it is CA-RAZY, we still make sure to have fun. Part of the way we do that is by keeping our sense of humor and being organized so we’re sharing both of those with you.

The point of these first two episodes, not unlike the first few episodes of Season 1, is to lay the groundwork for a fun-filled, stress-free, organized holiday season. We’re not going to tell you how you SHOULD do it because we don’t know you and what works for you but we’re going to share ideas about what we do.

So, here we go. What’s that organizational stuff? Well, since I’m a visual person, I like to see things. My go-to is a calendar so I suggest finding a printable calendar online. Ask and ye shall receive! Here is a link to a DIY month-by-month calendar. You can print it out one month per page at a time and bonus! There’s lots of room to write things in each day. Click on the link below to check it out:

Printable Calendar Months (http://www.pdfcalendar.com/monthly/)

We both use pencils a lot because “erasing” so you can change things and be flexible. But you can also get colorful post-it notes so that you can move things around. Get an idea of how many events, parties, etc you have and pencil them in on that month to get started. That’s just one of our ideas in this episode.

Here’s another take away…stop comparing yourself to others. We’re not necessarily talking about friends and family but okay, we’re talking about the magazines and TV shows and Martha Stewart that show you this picture perfect experience. My world, your world? NOT! So stop that! You do you. And, you can’t do it ALL. Only do as much as you and your family can handle and seeing it on a calendar, well, it can help. Be picky, it’s really okay.

We had a lot of fun recording this show and we hope you do too. Natalia shares her love of Martha Stewart (just in this particular situation), Jello shots and costumes. I’ve got the rundown on Halloween origins, my past perfectionism and a certain Disney character’s wig. So relax, have a laugh with us and enjoy this next episode. It’s Halloween!

Thanksgiving is next (two episodes because it takes two) where we really get into the checklists (my personal fave) and making it your best ever…whatever that means for you. You’ll also be meeting one of our favorite bloggers with her personal tips and tricks to help you get through the season with little kids.

If you’re interested in adding Prepdeck to your kitchen (and getting a 10% discount off the already great price) or just looking at their beautiful website with all kinds of fun ideas on it click the link below and it will magically (actually it’s just technology) take you there. We spell out the link for you in the episode but this is so much easier, right?

I’ll say it again, I LOVE Halloween. Frankly, I love the holiday season. Not everything indiscriminately but I love a lot of it. I know there are lots of people who don’t (we talked about that in the first episode) so in the interest of spreading goodwill (not in a cheesy way, I hope), we want everyone to enjoy it as much as we do. The point of these first two episodes, not unlike the first few episodes of Season 1, is to lay the groundwork for a fun-filled, stress-free, organized holiday season. We’re not going to tell you how you SHOULD do it because we don’t know you and what works for you but we’re going to share ideas about what we do.

Feeling the sudden rush of the holidays? We’re here to help!

We’re back with Season 2 as Not A Single Fork Tackles The Holidays!

Our continuing mission is to keep your cooking as stress-free as possible and the holidays are no exception, in fact, they fall into this category probably more than anything else. What is more stressful than the onslaught of holiday decorations and the endless holiday music coupled with the inherent competition-ish stakes of family gatherings, holiday parties and all the rest of the celebrations? Starting with Halloween when you’ve got best costume, best candy, best party…and we’re just getting started.

So we’re getting you started with some reasons why people dread the holidays (spoiler alert: it does NOT include cooking!) and then more reasons why and how you can start making your holidays more fun and bearable. Natalia (me too, but mostly Natalia) will regale you with stories from her childhood in England (yes, she really is a Brit) and corn stealing in Oklahoma. Priming you for what’s to come, the apple picking sketch from SNL’s season premiere (a couple of weeks ago) and how people in Oklahoma are so fascinated with farms and farm animals. Did you hear that NBC’s Al Roker and his wife, Deborah Roberts got their car stuck in the mud while apple picking and that comes on the heels of this hilarious sketch? Perfect timing for our episode, too. Truth IS stranger than fiction.

We also have lots to share about our new Patreon page and membership site. There’s more to come on that as we create some super fun EXTRAs for our members-only group. It’s easy to become a member, in fact, we’d like everyone to join us! There will be tees (yes, tangible merchandise with the cool NASF logo), videos, recipes, and lots and lots of other fun stuff just for our faithful followers. Why? Because we LOVE you guys, THAT’S why! So, keep listening and reading our show notes.

We have also partnered with this cool startup, Prepdeck. Remember when we talked to you about how important organization is in the kitchen and “mise en place” way back in Episode 3 of Season 1? Well, Prepdeck is the total ANSWER! You don’t need to worry about having little bowls and pieces of foil and what-not spread all over your kitchen and cutting board as you try to cook your meal. Prepdeck is a totally self-contained mise en place system. Super well thought-out and thoughtful. We will have a direct link coming soon where you can take a spin around the system on their website and buy it (if you think it will work in your kitchen, can’t imagine why it wouldn’t) and we’ll get a little credit for it. WIN-WIN-WIN. You gotta love that.

So without further ado, here comes Episode 1, the Holiday Lead Off for Season 2.

We’d love you to join us over here in our Second Season where you’re going to get all the ins and outs of all the holidays! And don’t forget, there are even more Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) as we go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. Frankly, this entire episode was a rant (and we definitely went crazy) so we didn't separate anything out.

If you have a question, leave it in the comments below and we will be happy to address it in our next episode (and in the comments section).

GET INVOLVED! We love it!!

Feeling the sudden rush of the holidays? We’re here to help!

We’re back with Season 2 as Not A Single Fork Tackles The Holidays!

Our continuing mission is to keep your cooking as stress-free as possible and the holidays are no exception, in fact, they fall into this category probably more than anything else. What is more stressful than the onslaught of holiday decorations and the endless holiday music coupled with the inherent competition-ish stakes of family gatherings, holiday parties and all the rest of the celebrations? Starting with Halloween when you’ve got best costume, best candy, best party…and we’re just getting started.

So we’re getting you started with some reasons why people dread the holidays (spoiler alert: it does NOT include cooking!) and then more reasons why and how you can start making your holidays more fun and bearable. Natalia (me too, but mostly Natalia) will regale you with stories from her childhood in England (yes, she really is a Brit) and corn stealing in Oklahoma. Priming you for what’s to come, the apple picking sketch from SNL’s season premiere (a couple of weeks ago) and how people in Oklahoma are so fascinated with farms and farm animals. Did you hear that NBC’s Al Roker and his wife, Deborah Roberts got their car stuck in the mud while apple picking and that comes on the heels of this hilarious sketch? Perfect timing for our episode, too. Truth IS stranger than fiction.

We also have lots to share about our new Patreon page and membership site. There’s more to come on that as we create some super fun EXTRAs for our members-only group. It’s easy to become a member, in fact, we’d like everyone to join us! There will be tees (yes, tangible merchandise with the cool NASF logo), videos, recipes, and lots and lots of other fun stuff just for our faithful followers. Why? Because we LOVE you guys, THAT’S why! So, keep listening and reading our show notes.

We have also partnered with this cool startup, Prepdeck. Remember when we talked to you about how important organization is in the kitchen and “mise en place” way back in Episode 3 of Season 1? Well, Prepdeck is the total ANSWER! You don’t need to worry about having little bowls and pieces of foil and what-not spread all over your kitchen and cutting board as you try to cook your meal. Prepdeck is a totally self-contained mise en place system. Super well thought-out and thoughtful. We will have a direct link coming soon where you can take a spin around the system on their website and buy it (if you think it will work in your kitchen, can’t imagine why it wouldn’t) and we’ll get a little credit for it. WIN-WIN-WIN. You gotta love that.

So without further ado, here comes Episode 1, the Holiday Lead Off for Season 2.

We’d love you to join us over here in our Second Season where you’re going to get all the ins and outs of all the holidays! And don’t forget, there are even more Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) as we go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. Frankly, this entire episode was a rant (and we definitely went crazy) so we didn't separate anything out.

If you have a question, leave it in the comments below and we will be happy to address it in our next episode (and in the comments section).

GET INVOLVED! We love it!!

We're back with Season 2 and more ways to get through your cooking life as stress-free as possible. With the holidays coming at us full speed, we've got lots of tips and tricks and stories and more to keep you grounded and breathing. In this episode, we're priming you for the season and keeping it real with "why people dread the holidays" and stories from England and the cornfield. Sound fun? Give it a listen!

It’s the final countdown. Thank you, Europe…you said it all. And, thanks to all our listeners and sponsors and partners. WE LOVE YOU!

We couldn’t do it without you because well, a podcast is just a podcast but we’ve got listeners! And, YOU make it all worthwhile.

So take a little stroll down Memory Lane with us, meet one of our new friends (a super talented musician) who helped give our show a little street cred and get a short refresher course from the entire season. We talk about our faves (and not so faves) and give back a little love with more shout outs to our PEEPS! Listen for your names (you know who you are)

It’s been a blast. So without further ado, here is the final episode of Season One and our love letter to you, our listeners!

We hope you enjoyed all (well, maybe most) of the episodes, laughed along with us and maybe even learned a thing or two.

We will be back with Season 2 - Not A Single Fork Tackles The Holidays! Watch Facebook and Instagram and your inbox for the announcements of not only the Season Premiere but some other fun additions to our program.

Thanks again for hanging in there with us. We appreciate you more than you know!

If you have a lingering question or something you just have to say, leave it in the comments below. You know you’ll get a reply!

Please keep listening, downloading, subscribing and tell all your friends about us! Season 2 drops in mid-October.

And, in the words of Michael Jackson, “This is IT.”

So stay tuned and fresh…fork bags!