Bonus episode alert. In honor of Women’s History month we want to celebrate the life of Toni Morrison. She was a phenomenal black woman, author, educator and Nobel Peace Prize winner for Literature. My (Ronica) personal favorite. In this episode I read an excerpt from the book “The Bluest Eye,” by none other than the late, Toni Morrison. RIP🙏🏽

Episode 14 is Tournament time. Reggen teaches Ronica all about the madness Selection Sunday, and he Sweet 16. March is a busy month for basketball and Reggen loves it. Ronica has no clue about brackets and the championship game but tries really hard to get it. Laugh and smile with them during this 14th Episode of The What You Cooking Podcast.

Part II Ronica shares her story of the first year in her home. She shares how 2 weekend police chases, a murder and a shooting all took place in the first year, all while sleeping on the porch. She shares how all 4 toilets didn’t work at the same time and the supporting beams of her house barely passed inspection. Ronica loves the character of her home with or without curtains up to the windows for privacy. Taking showers in the dark and still living out of boxes has her going insane. Listen in and enjoy the 13th episode.

How about cucumbers and spicy chicken on a lettuce wrap? Or eating pesto right out of the jar? Reggen and Ronica share two recent recipes that they’ve tried. Although not their family favorites. The sister cousins both enjoyed every bite. In this episode, Reggen talks about the first year in her new home. She talks about expectations versus reality. I think we’ve all been there when dealing with homeownership. From leaky pipes to replacing all the flooring within the first month of moving in the home to warped floors and a high pitched garage. Download this episode as a favorite. Share with three friends plus all of your cousins.

Our first episode of the year begins with Season 2. January 2023 is all about a natural hair journey for both Ronica and Reggen. They both are natural and wear their hair proud. Listen as they talk what celery juice and homemade caramel popcorn does for the skin body and tastebuds. Wearing a natural hairstyle is more than just beauty. It’s a mindset it’s a way of life it’s a culture. How you see yourself sometimes determines how you wear your hair and how you see your hair is sometimes how you see yourself.

The 2022 Wrap Up ends strong with the first season of The What You Cooking Podcast. Ronica and Reggen share their favorites of the season. What could have been or should have been has no place here. They did it. Even though, Reggen wanted to ditch the podcast after the first episode they kept going. Ditching the podcast was a surprise to Ronica. They definitely are not going anywhere except into the new year. Season 2 will start fresh in 2023. Keep growing with these two. Share with friends, mom groups, cohorts, coworkers and family.

Family traditions on Christmas Eve created strong roots in Reggen and Ronica’s childhood. What traditions do you share around the holidays? Are you starting new ones this year? Many traditions are centered around shared recipes. In this episode, Ronica’s favorite memory, ironically was getting a kitchen from Santa. Reggen recalls her granny not following rules when passing out gifts for Christmas. She gave some grandkids 3 gifts and others 1 gift. There were at least 9 grandkids at the time. Happy Holidays from The What You Cooking Podcast.

Reggen and Ronica talk about what’s on the menu for Thanksgiving. Wild meat or game is not their favorite. Raccoon, possum and rabbit has graced their family table. Who gets bullied around the holidays? Think of the cousin who can only bring paper goods but really wanted to bring their famous casserole. What about the aunt who talks about all the weight gain or the new boo. Bullying shows up on everybody’s doorstep. Are you the bully or do you get bullied or both??

What happens when you go on a girls trip? Is it a retreat or is it a nightmare? Listen in as Reggen talks about her most recent girls trip to Washington DC. Ronica shares her finding an Airbnb nightmare while sharing a space with 12 other people. Do you think girls trips are needed? Or do you believe girls trips are overrated? Do men go on men’s trips or do they go on boys trips? When was your last girls trip? Did you go with a group of people you know or a group of strangers? Will you go again or are you never ever going on a girls trip?

Who remembers friendship bread? I remember my mom receiving a ziploc bag of bread mixture that set out on the counter for days. The bag would swell up full of air. She would release the air and leave it on the counter. As the days passed she would tell me to go flip the bag over or shake the bag or squish it around. I would ask almost every day if she was sure it should stay on the counter and not go in the refrigerator? She would always answer no, and insist to leave it out at room temperature. She called it friendship bread. Fast forward 2022, I found a recipe for an Amish friendship bread starter online. www.tastesoflizzyt.com. This recipe and process brought back so many memories. I dedicate this bonus episode to my mom and my aunt Renee.