The holidays bring up different emotions and memories for everyone. It is a time of great joy, but can also be a season of grieving those we've lost. As we look forward to a new year there's much to hope for. But December may bring feelings of discouragement for what may not have been accomplished or for what isn't going quite as expected. This December Table Talk is about embracing all that the season has to bring and finding comfort in both family and food.
Don't dogs just make everything better?
Our dog, Frisco, is there to cuddle on the hard days and there to play when it's time to lift our spirits.
This is What Table Talk is All About
My favorite memories are those where I am gathered with family or friends around the dinner table. When food softens and opens our hearts, and we share honest truths. We connect, and we grow closer.
This is what I want Table Talk to be about. Because after all, you—my readers, are who I envision sitting around the table with when I write. So today I'd like to share my honest truth about what this holiday season has been like for Hunter and I.
Hunter lost his dad in November unexpectedly. He was the lightness and laughter that the family depended on, and he had the best voice of anyone I've ever met. It was one of those voices that lit up a room and made you want to listen to story after story. I think what I loved about him most was how he was always completely himself in every setting. As someone who sometimes second guesses herself, I really looked up to him for that trait. He still inspires me to live more freely like that.
My own dad was diagnosed with cancer in October of 2022. It has been a very long and hard year. Despite the pain that this season has brought for my family, I have been immensely encouraged by my dad's faith. He has not wavered in his belief that God has a plan and purpose for his life, and he has trusted Him entirely through this process.
There have been some other circumstances that have made this season the hardest we have ever had. But I know one thing is for sure—Hunter and I have never leaned on each other more. I have really come to understand what it means to ask for help when you need it. And when life is hard, it becomes very clear who you can depend on. Who can hold space for you when you just need to cry.
What We're Looking Forward to This Christmas
This Christmas season we are looking forward to our annual "Christmas date night" where we exchange gifts to each other. And shower our dog with presents. 😉 We then pick a new or beloved favorite restaurant around Nashville to dine at before driving around to look at lights.
We are spending Christmas with my family and then heading to Michigan to be with Hunter's family for New Year's Eve. Between the two families, we are very much looking forward to spending time with lots of nieces and nephews. 🙂
What I've Been Enjoying
I have been enjoying a lot of the same things (writing fiction, reading fantasy, training for half marathons), but one new thing I've been investing quite a bit of time into has been counseling. Between that and continuing the activities I love, I have been learning how to take care of myself even when time is stretched thin and I'm being pulled in a lot of different directions.
Hunter and I are obsessed with the card game Swoop! We play it just about every day before dinner. 😉
What's New at Chef Kate F
I've been really embracing soup. I'm talking creamy, indulgent, comforting, cozy soup! Check out my Tuscan White Bean Soup or the White Bean Cauliflower Soup with Pesto Croutons.
I finally added my personal favorite takeout dish, Vegan Tantanmen with Red Miso.
And I dabbled in vegan baking with my Vegan Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls!
I hope these NEW recipes bring you comfort no matter where you're at this season. 💛
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