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I’m a sucker for competition shows where ordinary people battle it out for a life-changing shot at their own TV series. And I’m a sucker for the Food Network. So I guess it’s not surprising that I have followed along with nearly every season of “The Next Food Network Star.” But only in season 5 did I choose a favorite in the first episode, root for her all the way through the show, and then get to cheer her on at the end.

That one contestant was fellow mom of many Melissa d’Arabian, whose life changed literally overnight from stay-at-home-mom of four daughters to the host of her own Food Network show, Ten Dollar Dinners (tune in weekdays at 1:30 PM EST).

I admired her pluck and energy, and also loved watching a “home cook” without formal training winning cooking challenges against seasoned chefs. When she won, I felt a little like I’d won, too. (Okay, maybe that was a sign that I’d gotten a bit too invested…)

But can you blame me? Melissa took something that she had to do – get dinner on the table for her growing family – and turned it into a passion and a career. Talk about inspiring.

So I was thrilled when Melissa agreed to chat with me about her experience and her new book! And she turned out to be just as warm, down-to-earth and interesting as I figured she would.

In this week’s episode of The Kitchen Hour Podcast, Melissa d’Arabian and I talk about:

* The realities of getting dinner on the table when you’re a busy working mom

* How to embrace your strengths as a mom and home manager

* Strategies for saving money and reducing waste

* Her new book Ten Dollar Dinners (which is jam-packed with tips and delicious, budget-friendly recipes like Melissa’s recipe for French Onion Soup

And more! I know you’ll love this one, so please give it a listen while you’re making dinner tonight! Just click “play” below or download it at iTunes.

For this week’s podcast, I’m very happy to share my recent chat with Gretchen Rubin, author of the NYT bestselling books The Happiness Project and Happier at Home.

In Episode 3 of The Kitchen Hour Podcast, Gretchen and I talk about:

* How to embrace reality by accepting yourself for the person you really are (not the kind of person you keep thinking you should be…)

* Accepting your season of life – whatever that is

* How the bestselling author of “Happier at Home” makes her home life happier – including creating routines that allow her to focus on both work and family.

Please click the “play” button below to stream the podcast right here in the post! I hope you enjoy the latest episode of The Kitchen Hour podcast.

 

This week on The Kitchen Hour podcast, I’m happy to welcome my good friend, author and blogger Denise Schipani.

Even though on the surface Denise and I might seem different (she’s got a reputation for being a mean mom while I’m all about the happy mom angle), in reality, we have a lot in common: we both love our kids like crazy, treasure family time, and gladly assume a role of authority in our homes.

So what does it really mean to be a “mean mom”, and how can it actually be good for kids? How can we learn to embrace the word “no”? And how can we move past the idea that we’re too busy and distracted to set limits and create family traditions?

In Episode 2 of The Kitchen Hour podcast, Denise and I discuss all of the above and much more. Resources and links from the show:

* In the show, Denise and I discussed the impact of modern-day technology and whether it’s really given us “more time”. I mentioned an article I had recently read. The link to the article no longer seems to be working, but you can see a summary and my commentary as well as my thoughts on Lillian Gilbreth of “Cheaper by the Dozen” fame over at The Happiest Mom.

* If you want to fall further down that “Do our appliances really make our live easier?” rabbit hole, you can check out this book: More Work for Mother.

* Check out how Denise made over her grandmother and mother’s cook-all-day-and-night spaghetti recipe to better fit modern family life in her marinara sauce and meatballs recipe!

* If you just can’t get enough of Denise and I yakking, check out my interview with Denise or her interview with me!

To stream the podcast right from the post on your computer, phone or tablet, just click the little triangle on the player below. PS: The Kitchen Hour podcast is now on iTunes! If you’re enjoying these podcasts, I would absolutely love a rating or review on iTunes – it will help other people find the show, and even better, give it a shot!

Thanks again for listening and letting me keep you company during your Kitchen Hour!

I had the pleasure of meeting Kelle Hampton (after admiring her blog from afar) last year, and just fell in love with her warm, down-to-earth, and hilarious personality. So I’m very excited to welcome Kelle to The Kitchen Hour as the guest on my first podcast! After hearing my interview, I’m sure you’ll agree: listen to Kelle talk for five minutes, and you’ll feel like you’ve known her your whole life.

In this podcast Kelle and l talk about:

* How to make celebrations a little more special – without spending a lot of money or time. Two of Kelle’s favorite shortcuts: pre-cut fondant cupcake toppers and cake decorations from Two Sugar Babies and the dollar bins near the Target entrance. She also loves scouring Pinterest for inspiration.

* Why parties don’t have to be complicated to feel magical to a child

* Last-minute ideas for turning an average playdate into a party

* How to keep from being a grumpy host

* Small touches that make guests feel pampered (and they don’t require artistic ability!)

* How no mom “does it all,” and ways to feel good about whatever you can do, right where you are in your life

* And while I’m not sure we talked too much about it, you’ll definitely want to check out Kelle’s book!

To listen, you can stream right here using the handy player below, or you can listen – and subscribe! – to The Kitchen Hour podcast in iTunes.

A new podcast will come out every Wednesday, so be sure to sign up to get posts by email so you’ll know when there’s a fresh podcast to keep you company during your own Kitchen Hour.

P.S.: be sure to take a look at Kelle’s “Grandpa Pancakes” recipe!