Hi Friend,

Well, it’s officially December now and I’m making all things cozy, warm and comforting! Here are a few of my favorites:

Theme of the week: comforting & cozy meals

Cheesy beef and noodle casserole This comforting 5 ingredient cheesy beef and egg noodle casserole recipe will become a staple at the family dinner table. ​ Take me to the recipe!

Slow cooker fire roasted tomato pot roast This slow cooker fire roasted tomato beef pot roast recipe is a wonderful family meal that has very little hands on cook time and is hearty and comforting. I love this one, it always reminds me of childhood because my mom would make a tomatoy pot roast. Take me to the recipe

Stovetop chili A delicious easy stovetop chili is only one pot away! Recipe

Vegetarian chili Full of veggie deliciousness this chili is great for Meatless Mondays! Recipe

Pork Ragu Pasta Sauce If you make one of my recipes this winter, please make this one! It's so so good, a family favorite, and it can be made in an instant pot or stovetop - I've included instructions for both in the recipe card. ​ Take me to the recipe!

Potato soup - no bacon This is a comforting potato soup that is vegetarian, so yummy! Recipe

Healthy baked potato soup A healthy twist on a classic, this baked potato soup is so good! Recipe

Chicken and dumpling soup This dumpling heavy chicken and dumpling soup is a favorite around here, Ben says it's his favorite meal I make! Take me to the recipe

On the blog this week

This weeks Love List is a special one, I'm sharing the best and favorites of 2024! Favorite purchases, best books, and Nick (my husband) included his favorites too!

Chicken basil meatballs with a lemon yogurt sauce Perfectly seasoned and paired with roasted garlic couscous and peas, this dish strikes a balance between comforting and refreshing—ideal for busy weeknights or when you want something special without spending hours in the kitchen. ​ Read recipe post

Personal Stories

This week we put up our Christmas decorations - or I should say the kids put up our Christmas decorations. They were so quick I kept having to tell them to slow down so I could find hooks lol. They were pros and got the tree up in like an hour. I love all the holiday activities this time of year. And it's always cute when Sam is so tired he just falls asleep on the couch. He probably still needs a nap but fights it more days than not.

Links I'm loving

2 links I'm loving this week:

• ​This book, omg, it was SO GOOD. I'm seriously jealous of people getting to read it for the first time. It's a romance and has a little spice, and great writing! I literally went and edited my best of 2024 book section to include this one!!
• One thing I use frequently over the holidays - broken ornaments and decorations - is this Gorilla Super Glue, it gets a spot in my junk drawer and is used a lot, works so well, and I love the brush applicator.

Reader Comments and Recreations

I love seeing your recreations and hearing your feedback, thank you!

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I’m here typing away with a recommendation that you try this recipe, because there’s none better. EASY PEASY. You can’t go wrong with this one.! ​ Comment on White Peppercorn Gravy​

Giveaway

December giveaway Simply comment on these chicken and basil meatballs with yogurt sauce and let me know - what are your favorite meatballs, anything fun you've had? One winner gets a $25 gift certificate to Starbucks or Amazon, winners choice. ​ *November winner is Antoinette M, just message me to claim your prize!

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How's your December going? Have you put up any decorations yet?

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~Phi

p.s., if you’re looking for a last minute gift, might I suggest my 5-ingredient cookbook?

p.p.s., have you seen my gift guide for her, gift guide for charcuterie board lovers, gift guide for him and gift guide for kids?

p.p.p.s, if you make a SweetPhi recipe over the holidays could you please leave feedback and a star rating on the recipe? Think of it like your Christmas present to me ;) This helps it get seen in the algorithms so if someone is searching for a recipe, one with engagement (comments) is more likely to get shown in search results. Thank you!!

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