My Favorite Podcasts

One of the best (only) things about having a commute to work everyday is getting a chance to discover and listen to some really amazing podcasts. Over the last couple years, I've almost completely eliminated music in my car and on my runs and have become obsessed with podcasts.  Whereas most people binge watch shows on Netflix, I binge listen to podcasts, starting from the beginning (sometimes years and years ago) and continuing through the present day. Some have been a complete waste of time and were deleted after only an episode or two and some have become such an obsession that I could talk about them for hours and hours over bottles of wine (yes, I think Adnan did it and I'd love to discuss why with you anytime!). Like my interests, my taste in podcasts range wildly, from true stories to paranormal fiction and from podcasts that discuss parenting strategies to those that discuss my favorite TV shows. I've put together a list of 35+ podcasts below, in a variety of categories that I promise you will enjoy! I'm sure there are plenty more that I'm forgetting or haven't yet discovered, so if you have a favorite, please leave it below! 

Parenting

Mom & Dad Are Fighting - Two producers at Slate (mom of 3 boys and dad of 2 girls) with two very different personalities and parenting styles discuss parenting hot topics, articles, issues and dilemmas. I think it's an honest account about how hard parenting can be and how difficult it is to balance work and family, with lots of great advice, recommendations and suggestions. 

The Longest Shortest Time - Started by host Hilary Frank right after her daughter was born when she was feeling incredibly isolated, lonely and overwhelmed by parenting a newborn. The early episodes deal mainly with the first year of parenting, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Later episodes touch on everything from your sex life to how to talk to your children about death.

Fiction/Scary Stories

Limetown - This is a mock investigative journalistic podcast about the disappearance of the entire population of a mysterious scientific-research town ten years ago. This podcast seems to be a bit of a throwback to the old radio dramas of the past, with an updated plot and effects. It will suck you in and you'll almost forget that you're listening to fiction - it feels so real.

Lore - A podcast all about the interesting and true history behind real-life scary stories. Definitely creepy, interesting and will give you chills. 

The Black Tapes - Another mock investigative podcast about getting to the truth behind hauntings, ghost stories and unsolved mysteries. This one literally gave me nightmares, but it's so good I can't stop listening to it. If you loved to be creeped out, this one is for you.

Chilling Tales - A new podcast (there are only 3 episodes so far) that combines story-telling with all the cool audio effects as a movie. Each episode has a full cast, sound effects, musical score and thrilling suspenseful stories.  

The Message - Another new podcast along the same mock investigative lines, where a journalist is trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious audio message that kills everyone that hears it. Not as well done or exciting as Limetown or the Black Tapes, but along the same style and level of supernatural mixed with reality.

The Leviathan Chronicles - A sci-fi audio drama - basically a book on tape with sound effects and a cast of characters. The story starts off really interesting and good and takes a weird alien-bent turn a few episodes in. Great if you love fantasy and science fiction. 

True Stories

This American Life - This is the podcast that started it all for me and is my (along with most people's) absolute favorite podcast. Each weekly episode contains a series of stories that all relate to an over-arching theme of the show. I look forward to this show every week - the stories are all so fascinating, funny, articulate and interesting. 

Radiolab - Each episode is a deep dive into a particular topic that goes farther than you'd expect the story to go. Incredible investigative journalism, riving stories and interesting topics on things you'd never expect to be all that fascinating sometimes. 

StartUp - Alex Bloomberg, formerly of Planet Money and This American Life, decides to quit his job and start this own podcast company. Season 1 of StartUp is all about how he made it happen - from finding a business partner, to pitching to investors, to naming the company and deciding what type of content they'd produce. A very interesting and honest look at how a start-up company is formed and all the decisions that go into it. Season 2 is dedicated to another start-up, a match-making dating company run by 2 women in NYC, trying to make a unique business model work.

The Memory Palace - Each episode of this podcast is a short and surprising historical story from the past. Episodes are usually less than 10 minutes long and are funny, heartbreaking, shocking, terrifying and fascinating. 

Death, Sex & Money - Podcast host Anna Sale interviews all kinds of people, from big-name celebrities (Brooke Shield, Ellen Burstyn, Jane Fonda) to everyday people about the hard topics surrounding death, sex and money (and everything in between). 

Mortified - A host of story-tellers, authors and comedians get up on stage and tell the most embarrassing stories of stuff they did and things that happened to them when they were younger. This podcast will definitely make you cringe, laugh and feel so much better about your own awkward past. 

The Moth - Real life stories, told by real life people, on a stage in front of a real life audience of strangers. Stories cover a variety of topics, issues and genres and can be funny, heart-wrenching, shocking, sad, romantic or all of the above. 

More Serial

Serial, Season 1 - If you have not heard about this podcast, then you've been living under a rock for the last two years. Season 1 of Serial is an investigate look into the disappearance/murder of a Baltimore teenage and the subsequent arrest, trial and conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Sayed. It will make you infuriated with the legal justice system, local law enforcement and Jay. 

Undisclosed - If Serial left a giant hole in your heart that needs filling with all things Adnan, then this is the podcast for you. Over 50 episodes that gets so far down into the mud and nitty gritty that you're mind will be blown and you'll be so overwhelmed you don't know what to do with yourself. It's 100% pro-Adnan, though, so consider yourself warned. 

Serial Serial - This is a much less biased group of Onion, Inc. staff writers that got together after each episode of Serial to discuss what happened. I listened to it in real time, as the episodes were being released and it gave me a much different view of the case and Adnan than Serial did. There's also a lot of discussion regarding Sarah Koenig's bias and journalistic style.

Crime Writers on Serial - True crime authors (and husband and wife), team up with other authors and journalists to discuss all things Serial, as well as other true crimes, books, articles, TV show, documentaries and a crime of the week. Very intelligent, well-researched and thoughtful podcast. 

Serial, Season 2 - The second season of Serial just started a few months ago and it tells the story of Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. soldier who walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured and held by the Taliban for nearly five years. Season 2 is very different than Season 1 and is receiving a lot of criticism already for a variety of topics, including the fact that the show's host doesn't conduct any of the interviews with Bergdahl. Definitely fascinating, but much slower and makes you feel less involved than Season 1. 

True Crime

Criminal - A fascinating look into how real life crime has affected people and the stories behind what really happened. Each episode has a narrative, lead by host Phoebe Judge, which explores all kinds of different crimes, the people that committed them and those wronged. 

Missing Maura Murry - If you love Serial, How to Make a Murderer and Unsolved Mysteries, you'll love this podcast. Two filmmakers are currently working on a documentary about the disappearance of 21 year old Maura Murry from 2004. The podcast was created to help shed some light on the topic and possibly gather additional sources and material for the documentary that weren't comfortable being on camera. It's a bit all over the place and raises way more questions than it answers, but it makes me excited for the documentary to come out.

What the Crime? - This podcast focuses on the weird, bizarre and baffling aspects of crime. There are only four episode so far, but each is stranger than the next and highlights just how crazy the world of crime can be. 

My Favorite Murder - Brand new podcast (only 2 episodes so far) where 2 hosts talk in-depth about their "favorite" murders, trials and crimes. Very dark humor and not for the faint of heart.  

Nerdy

Stuff You Should Know - The nerd in me love love loves this podcast. Hosts Josh and Chuck give great overviews and breakdowns on a variety of topics like HIV, Lizzie Borden, passports, maggots, hula hoops, alcoholism, cult deprograming, bats, volcanoes, base jumping, water slides, clowns, earwax, Stonehenge and everything in between. The geek in you will love it!

Stuff Mom Never Told You - Similar to the podcast above, but for the ladies and deals with "girl" issues, such as acne, lube, witchcraft, nipples, periods, bisexuality, baby weight and a million other things.

Invisibilia - A podcast that combines storytelling with scientific research and touches on all the invisible forces that control us, like thoughts, religion, emotions, ideas, beliefs and assumptions. Interesting stories and great topics. Plus, there's a dance party at the end of every episode. 

Surprisingly Awesome - New show from Gimlet Media (company from the StartUp podcast mentioned above) where hosts take a boring sounding topic and turn it into something that's surprisingly interesting and awesome. There are only 6 episodes so far, on topics such as mold, broccoli, concrete and free throws. 

Reply All - Another Gimlet Media show, this one about anything related to the internet. Incredibly well-done and always fascinating. I love this podcast and cannot get enough of the hosts. I wish there was a new episode every day.

99% Invisible - Host Roman Mars explores architecture and design in a completely fascinating and captivating way. He takes a usually very visual topic and talks about it with such passion and intensity that you can fully appreciate the subject matter without ever seeing a photo of it. 

Blogging

The Lively Show - Host (entrepreneur and blogger) Jess Lively interviews other big-name bloggers and self-starters about everything blogging from marketing to social media to branding (and a ton of non-blogging related topics such as relationships, motherhood, design, compassion, religion, etc.). Great for anyone with a blog, that's self-employed or in a creative industry. Guests include bloggers/authors/entrepreneurs such as Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Housely, John and Sherry Petersik. 

Social Media Marketing Podcast - A podcast from the Social Media Examiner, all about social media outlets and how businesses, bloggers and individuals can make the most of them. I've learned so much about how to grow an Instagram following, the elusive Facebook algorithm, how to make the most of Pinterest and the most effective blogging tools and plugins. Great for anyone with a blog or online business.

Smart Passive Income - While I don't do any affiliate marketing or have any passive income streams on my blog, I think this podcast is really informative for anyone in the blogging community that wants to learn how to market themselves, create content, build trust with your audience, cultivate a social media following and get things done online. I find it really interesting and inspirational. 

The Fizzle Show - This one is pretty new to me, so I haven't had a chance to listen to many episodes, but so far I really like what I've heard. All about productivity, motivation, growing an audience, marketing, self-employment advice, work-life balance and all the modern online business stuff. 

Other

Call Your Girlfriend - Two long-distance best friends host a podcast that is basically just like listening to a phone call between two girls catching up. Smart, hilarious, silly, snarky and includes lots of wine and bitching about guys and periods. 

Gilmore Guys - If you like the show Gilmore Girls, you'll love the Gilmore Guys podcast. Hosted by two guys that are way more into the show than any two guys should ever possibly be. I love the show.  I love the guys. I love this podcast. Hilarious. See also: Return to Stars Hollow for even more Gilmore Girls discussion and analysis. 

Mystery Show - Funny and quirky (yet slightly annoying in an adorable kind of way) host Starlee Kine solves all those impossibly unsolvable mysteries that you cannot solve just by going online, such as how tall is Jake Gyllenhaal really, does Britney Spears read horrible novels and what ever happened to that video store in Tribeca?

Guys We F*@#*d - I almost didn't include this one because it's pretty offensive and crude at times, but it's a total guilty pleasure for me. Dubbed the "anti-slut-shaming" podcast, two NYC comediennes interview their ex-boyfriends and guys they effed about every raunchy thing you can imagine. Not for the faint of heart. 

What's your favorite podcast? 

Baby Mim - 18 Months

Dear Mimmy,

And just like that, you’re 18 months old. A year and a half has passed in the blink of an eye and you’ve quickly moved from the world’s sweetest baby to the world’s most adorable little toddler. I can’t get over how quickly time is passing and feel like you grow inches by the day! The past few months have flown by and I can’t even keep up with all the amazing things you’ve learned and all the hilarious things you’ve done. Believe me, I’m trying, but you’re incredible! 

The most drastic change over the last few months has to be your speech. Your vocabulary is extraordinary! I cannot get over how many words you know and all the things you can say. I thought your brother was an advanced talker, but you’ve proven that you’re just as quick and bright as he is (maybe moreso). Your dad and I are in so much trouble with the two of you! Just since Christmas you’ve probably added 100 new words to the 100 words you already had. I started a list in early December, but that’s now so outdated it’s irrelevant and I can’t keep up with all the words you can say now. 

Everything you say is adorable, but there are a few that are my favorites. I never realized how much I must ask you if you’re ok, because you’ve started answering all my questions with “Kay!” (okay). “Kay” has replaced yes anytime you’re asked a question. “Do you want milk?” “Kay!” I never want this to change. In true girly-girl form you love talking about shoes, and you say “shoes” and “boots” in the absolute most adorable way. You play a ton of hide-n-seek with Mac, so you basically know how to count (at least to five) and then everything is “nine” after that. You call your brother “Nonner” and then always add, “W-are you?” (short for “where are you”). You sing the ABC song and the Wheels on the Bus, but both in complete gibberish that sounds surprisingly similar to the real words, but makes no sense. You look up at me and say “hold me” and I melt. You say “mommy” and “daddy” and “Sagey” with no difficulty at all. You call our nanny “Bobby,” which is totally adorable. 

You are still my amazing little eater. You love food and haven’t really found anything you didn’t like. You’ve got a sweet-tooth like your brother and start asking for a “gookie” as soon as Mac asks to be excused. You love cake almost as much as I do and I’m so proud you inherited that gene. Your favorite foods (other than cookies) are steak, mashed potatoes, rotisserie chicken, peanut butter crackers, grapes, noodles, yogurt, puff-corn (thanks to your Papa) and anything you can dip in ketchup. 

We haven’t had your 18-month doctor’s appointment yet, but I feel like you’re tall for your age (like your brother). You’re incredibly coordinated and very athletic. You’re tough as nails – I guess you have to be with an older brother that’s as crazy and physical and Mac. You can most certainly take a licking and keep on ticking. You're always "kay" and rarely shed a tear over a serious wipeout. You’ve started to lose those delicious baby rolls that I loved so much as you get taller and leaner. You’re looking more like a tiny little lady everyday. Sometimes I look at you, in your boots and bows and necklaces and can see the teenager you’re going to be in just a few short years. All you need is a cell phone in one hand and a Starbucks in the other and you could pass for 18. 

Your eyes are big and round and look so much like my grandmother’s that it hurts my heart just looking at you sometimes (in a good way). Just like her, you love owls and every time you point out an owl I think it’s her, sending me a message from heaven through you. I love that. But your most striking physical feature has to be your hair. You still don’t have much on top but the back of your head is covered in beautiful blonde ringlets. Everyone that meets you comments on your little curls! I can’t get over them either. I’m sure you’ll probably hate them, but they are the sweetest little things and so darn adorable I’ll never be able to cut your hair. I finally got you a hairbrush and started using conditioner on them, which has helped a lot with the tangles. You wake up in the mornings with such wild crazy bedhead that I wonder what kind of crazy dreams you were having to cause such chaos! 

You are still a total sweetheart and love to be snuggled and held. You love your mommy (and your daddy, but maybe me a bit more right now…which I totally need). You love attention, but you are also really great about playing independently while we deal with your brother. You got an iPad from Santa (less than a month ago) and have completely mastered how to use it, how to switch between games/apps and how to play Frozen. You love LOVE love Frozen and seem to fall into a deep deep trance when it comes on. It’s been a complete lifesaver in the car, but we have to really make sure we limit your screen time while we’re home, otherwise you’d never take your eyes off of the “noman” (snowman). While your brother still won't watch more than a few minutes of any given show at any given time, you get sucked in to Frozen. Ob-sessed. 

You also love to play games with us. Hide and seek is a huge hit and you and Mac can play that for hours and hours. Every time you find him you clap and jump up and down in pure delight. You love play "Baw" and sit on the floor and throw/roll the ball back and forth to each other. You are still taking gymnastics and really enjoy it! You have mastered a front roll and can do one all by yourself (something Mac couldn’t do until he was much older). You love hanging on the rings and swinging. You are a master at bouncing on the trampoline! You raise your arms and say “ta da” after everything you do. You also are a complete fish in the pool. You adore swim lessons and are the happiest of the day in the bath at night. You are a serious bathtub-splasher and get in trouble every single night for splashing. It doesn’t phase you in the least when we get angry with you for splashing (or biting or pulling hair) -- you look right at me, smile and keep on.  

You’re also now impossible to keep up with most of the time. You run very fast and can climb to the top of the stairs quicker than I can turn around. You are a total wild woman during diaper changes and dressing, just like your brother. You have what I like to call a “crazy leg” that wraps around my hand and kicks me out of the way, making it impossible to change you or get your pajamas snapped. Distraction works great and you prefer your distraction in song form (preferably, “If You’re Happy and You Know It”). You love to dance and will break out your awesome and hilarious booty shaking anytime you hear music. Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off" is by far your favorite song to get down to. Anytime you see my phone, you look at me, start bouncing and say, "shake shake...more shake shake." I can never say no. Mac has even figured out how to ask Siri to play "Shake it Off" for you if I'm busy. 

You love animals and gravitate to them anytime we’re around them. You’re really gentle with cats and dogs (which you call “meows” and “bubbies”) and most of them really like you back. You make the most amazing animal noises (sheep, bison and owl are my favorites) and can be found mooing or neighing all over the house. You love getting your picture taken and now make the biggest, cheesiest, goofiest toothy smile anytime I aim the camera at you. You love books and insist on sitting in our laps and reading at least 50 books a day. Just like your brother, you’ve started memorizing books and can now recite a number of them all on your own. It’s absolutely crazy! 

You are an amazing sleeper (knock on wood) and put yourself to sleep from wide awake every single night. You sleep about 11 hours a night and still take a 2-hour afternoon nap. BEST BABY EVER. You also now sleep with at least 25 stuffed animals and insist on snuggling with as many as you can every night. You still love your Jellycat bunnies the most. You also love your crib fish tank that plays music, which you listen to for an hour every night to help you fall asleep. It’s also playing in the morning when I come get you out of your crib. You make a point to turn it off before I pick you up, presumably to save battery life. You’re really thoughtful like that. 

So, basically you’re the most amazing thing ever. I am so incredibly lucky to have you in my life. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being mine.

Love,

Your mama

Bubble Bath

Once I'm in my bubble bath

I like to stir up more

Half the suds go in my eyes

And half go on the floor

The fun is in the bubbles because

They giggle on my skin

And when I stick them on my face

They dangle from my chin

They grow and swell and multiply

And spread around the tub

They help me get all clean

As I rub a dub dub

And when I splash them hard enough

They pop and disappear

And then my bathtime's over because

I've made the water clear

Roasted Red Pepper & Portabella Mushroom Quesadillas

Well, by complete accident and lack of intentional forethought on culinary planning, this is my second recipe post this week! Lucky you! (Can you tell that my new year's resolution to "reduce" my waistline is really working so far?) Oh well, it's my birthday week, so I'm eating all my favorite foods and I figured I might as well share them with you, while I'm at it. I'm super generous like that. You can thank me later. 

Today I'm sharing a recipe that I consider one of my best "sports-watching" recipes - Roasted Red Pepper and Portabella Mushroom Quesadillas! The BIG GAME is coming up soon, so if you're looking for a great recipe to add to your lineup, this is it! These quesadillas are hearty and delicious, but not overly filling or fattening. They're vegetarian (although would be great with chicken as well) and packed are with flavor, color and cheesy goodness. I first had a similar quesadilla at my favorite little Mexican restaurant and have been hooked ever since. I've made these a couple dozen times for football games, parties, tailgates and dinner and think I have it mastered. I usually make them ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven. They're also super easy to reheat (and stay crispy) in the oven or toaster oven. And if all else fails, they are still delicious cold. 

The ingredients are really simple: roasted red peppers, portabella mushrooms, red onion, swiss cheese and tortillas (plus a little salt and evoo for flavoring). I chop the veggies up and begin by caramelizing the red onion in a skillet with some evoo. 

Once the onions are browned and caramelized, I add the peppers and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft. I love using the the jar of Mezzetta Roasted Bell Peppers because it's so simple and they're so good! They have that great smoky/roasted flavor and you can even see the char marks on them. Plus, they're so bright and colorful - it really makes your food look amazing! Make sure to drain the red peppers, but do not wash them! You don't want to lose any of that roasted flavor. 

When all your veggies are cooked, add a healthy sprinkling of salt and remove them from the skillet. Spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray and add one tortilla. Add a layer of shredded swiss cheese, add the veggies, top with another layer of cheese and then the final tortilla. The two layers of cheese ensure that the tortillas will stick everything together and it won't fall completely apart. Trust me, I realized this the hard way. Plus, you can never have too much cheese in a quesadilla! 

Once your bottom tortilla is brown and crispy, flip it over and cook until the other side is crispy. And then cut into triangles with a pizza slicer and enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper & Portabella Quesadillas

Ingredients:

Mezzetta Roasted Bell Peppers, drained and sliced

Finely shredded Swiss cheese

Red onion, sliced into thick strips

Portabella (or crimini) Mushrooms, sliced

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt (to flavor)

Instructions:

1. Add evoo (maybe about a tablespoon) to skillet and saute red onions over medium high until caramelized (they should be a rich brown and soft, but not mushy). 

2. Add peppers and mushrooms to onions and cook until mushrooms are soft and flavors have combined. Add a heavy pinch of kosher salt and combine. Remove from skillet.

3. Spray pan with cooking spray and add 1 tortilla. Top with a layer of cheese, followed by a layer of the veggies and topped with another layer of cheese. Add final tortilla. 

4. Cook one side until crispy and browned. Flip. Cook other side until crispy and brown. 

5. Serve with guacamole or sour cream.

If you’re interested, Mezzetta is hosting a Homegating  where you could win a fabulous prize pack that includes a 55” 4K LED TV plus the Mezzetta Homegating Party Pack (Mezzetta branded football, blanket, pint glasses , cooler, party tray, cocktail napkins, and a jar each of Mezzetta Whole Golden Greek Peperoncini, Deli-Sliced Tamed Jalapeños, Deli-Sliced Mild Pepper Rings, Sliced Golden Greek Peperoncini, Roasted Bell Peppers and Deli-Sliced Roasted Bell Pepper Strips).  You can enter HERE.

What are your plans for the Big Game? 

What's your favorite game day food?

Valentine Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Icing

Today is my birthday! When I told Mac how old I was his jaw dropped and his eyes got really wide and he said, "Woah! That's almost a hundred!" So, there's that. I'll spare you the shock and horror of telling you how old I really am and just skip to the best part of having a birthday...the CAKE. I usually make my own birthday cake (chocolate with white icing), but this year I decided to mix things up a bit. This recipe for "magic pink cake" is absolutely amazing and would be perfect for Valentine's Day. It's super easy and is guaranteed to knock your socks off. If you're a strawberry fan, this cake is going to be your new best friend. Even Mac, who usually just licks the icing off cake and leaves the cake part, ate every single bite and has begged me for pink cake 9,000 times a day since I made it. Believe me, it's a winner. 

All you need to do is mix a box of white cake with some flour and strawberry flavored Jello. In a separate bowl, mix eggs and strawberries. If you mix them with a mixer, you'll get tiny specks/bits of strawberry in your cake batter. If you just use a spoon to mix, you'll have much larger chunks of strawberry. Your choice (you can't really go wrong either way)! Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir. Voila, pink cake! 

This homemade strawberry buttercream icing couldn't be any easier. Cream butter and strawberries, add powdered sugar. Then be prepared to battle everyone in your house for the rights to lick the beaters! Don't say I didn't warn you.

Once the cake is cooled, just dump the icing on top! You can also make this cake with chocolate cake mix, which is fantatic. It's not pink, but it's really really good! Or swap out the frozen strawberries for raspberries and use raspberry flavored Jello. You can also make this in cupcake form, but you will need to make the icing stiffer (less butter, more powdered sugar) because this recipe is a bit runny and tends to ooze off the cake (which I love). Feel free to add sprinkles!

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1 small box strawberry jello

3 tablespoons flour

4 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and chopped

1 stick butter

3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix cake mix, Jello and flour in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, oil and 1/2 cup strawberries. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix. Spray 9x13" pan with nonstick spray and add cake batter.

2. Bake cake in a at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes.

3. To make icing: cream butter and 1/2 cup strawberries. Add powdered sugar and mix well. (For stiffer/thicker icing, add more powdered sugar.)

4. Spread icing over cooled cake. Enjoy!

This cake has become a favorite in our house, even surpassing my beloved chocolate.

What's your favorite cake flavor?