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Mac and Cheese Toppings

As I’ve shared, I’m currently in the process of creating my second children’s book, Mac and Cheese in Outer Space. My wonderful Illustrator, Winda Mulyasari, is still working her magic to make my cheesy, outer space vision come to life. Please believe me when I tell you that the first illustrations she’s sent me are AMAZING!

While I was writing this book, I challenged myself to try and think of all the different toppings that someone could put on their macaroni and cheese. Like most kids, my children preferred the straight-up noodles and cheese when they were little. Although, I had gotten pretty good at sneaking veggies in there like our dear grandma does in my first book, Mac and Cheese, Please, Please, Please.

Now that my kids are older, their go-to topping is Franks RedHot. Personally, I’m probably more traditional in my appreciation for perfectly seasoned and buttery breadcrumbs.

These are a few of the macaroni and cheese toppings I came up with:

• Hot sauce
• Cracked pepper
• Breadcrumbs
• Ranch (I’m from the midwest)
• Buffalo sauce
• Barbecue sauce
• Taco meat and/or sauce (does this change the dish too much?)
• Bacon
• Chopped up hot dogs
• Chunked up chicken (especially with aforementioned buffalo sauce)
• Kielbasa sausage
• Flamin Hot Cheetos
• Broccoli
• Squash
• Green onion
• Rotel
• MORE CHEESE!!!!!!

What are your favorite mac and cheese toppings?

My First Author Reading

Cheesy greetings! While my wonderful illustrator, Winda Mulyasari, is hard at work making my crazy second book come to life, I’ve been busy checking a first off my list – My first reading!

Last month I had the opportunity to participate in my first official author reading! It was at a local daycare center my children attended years ago. I have kept in touch with a few of the teachers and the former site director, but I was floored when they asked me to come provide an “in-person field trip” for reading month. In preparation for the event, I printed off these super cute little bookmarks to give out to the kiddos at the daycare and they were a huge hit!

Luckily, my kids were still on spring break that day, so I dragged them along with me so they could visit with their old teachers and see their momma doing something rad. My oldest also served as my photographer during the event.

It was SO fun! The kiddos loved it and my heart just about BURST into pieces when the preschool class started reciting the story back to me during the reading. Many of them knew my book by heart and I know I have their teachers to thank for that!

On top of that amazingness, last weekend I vacationed up north at the family cabin that inspired me to seriously try writing romance back in 2020. It was a lovely girl’s weekend that involved wine, painting, thrifting, NCAA women’s college basketball, a brewery, and a meat raffle at the local Legion (yes, that’s a thing). I didn’t win any meat, nor did I get any writing accomplished, but it was a wonderful getaway filled with laughter and fun.

Until next time!