Welcome to the Hearth and Soul Link Party! I’m thinking a lot about the joys of hearth and soul this week, and about cooking for comfort. While COVID-19 case numbers are dropping in some places, this isn’t the case everywhere, and the level of restrictions is varying radically across the world. It’s still a time of great uncertainty everywhere and it’s at times like these I find myself returning to well loved recipes and rituals that comfort and nurture.
The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes blog posts about anything that feeds the soul. Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts and self improvement.
How are things in your corner of the world? I hope this finds you safe and well.
What’s Been Happening?
I’ve been busy testing recipes for an upcoming online Vintage Summer Afternoon Tea Class which I will be announcing shortly. In the photograph above I’m making a test batch of my late Grandma’s Fruited Orange Scones. They were delicious! Making family recipes is the definition of cooking for comfort for me.
This Vintage Summer Afternoon Tea class will follow a slightly more relaxed format to the first one I held. We will talk about the tradition of afternoon tea and ideas for summer afternoon teas as well as making my Grandma’s scones and another afternoon tea treat together. My Grandma’s scones are really easy and you can even make them in the electric mixer if you prefer.
In addition participants will also receive a printable Afternoon Tea Booklet with recipes and ideas for lots of unique afternoon teas you can enjoy all summer long. Plus there will be time for an actual cup of tea during an optional question and answer session at the end. Watch my newsletter and this space for more – and please save the date – Saturday 12th June 2021 at 6.00 pm British Time (that’s 1.00 pm Eastern, 10.00 am Pacific).
Cooking for Comfort On The Blog
I use my slow cooker all year round, especially at busy times. It’s a great way of cooking for comfort and there’s something so lovely just getting on with the day knowing that a delicious dinner is going to be ready when you are.
My Honey Garlic and Ginger Chicken slow cooker recipe is an easy, flavourful and versatile dish perfect for the whole family. There’s a gluten free option too!
It’s National Vegetarian Week in the UK this coming week. If you are looking for comforting meat free meals, I’ve shared some of my favourite recipes in my Vegetarian Comfort Food Recipes post.
Thank you all for visiting and sharing. Here are this week’s featured posts!
Cooking for Comfort Featured Posts
Featured cooking for comfort posts from top left, clockwise:-
Jennifer at Satsuma Designs shared a quick and easy cooking for comfort recipe with this Pan Roasted Chicken Provencal, perfect for busy days.
This Twice Baked Potato Casserole from The Lou Lou Girls is definitely comfort food! There are lots of ideas for variations in this recipe and you can make it ahead and freeze it too!
Cheese is always comfort food – especially in this Baked Brown Sugar-Dijon Brie recipe from Cindy at Mom, The Lunch Lady.
I was really taken with the light, fresh flavours in this soothing Lemon Rosemary Chicken Soup from Mary at Pots and Planes.
Right, it’s time for the party!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party
- Please do not link to anything except blog posts. Please share the permalink to your blog post, and not to the home page of your blog.
- Linking your blog posts here means you consent to me sharing as many of them as I can on Pinterest, Twitter, and both my own Facebook page and The Hearth and Soul Facebook Page and featuring them on my blog with photographs from the post.
- By submitting a post to the link party here, you assert that you own the content and photographs and therefore can give me the above permission.
- It’s easier for me to publicise your posts if you have social media share buttons on your blog.
- There are buttons at the top and bottom of this post to help you bring Hearth and Soul to the attention of your friends and followers. I really appreciate it when you do!
What will you share with the party this week? Take care, stay well and I wish you a wonderful week!
Comments & Reviews
Wishing you the happiest Mother’s Day, April! We are so excited that we get to have a sit-down dinner with family today, now that we’re all fully vaccinated. It will be unbelievably wonderful!
I love that you’re continuing your tea events! And I can only imagine how delicious your chicken dish is because honey, garlic, and ginger is definitely a delicious trifecta when it comes to chicken. 🙂 All your highlights this week look terrific. I never get tired of cooking for comfort. 😉
This week I’m linking up my new muffins recipe and a roundup of my and friends’ best GF brunch recipes–ideal for Mother’s Day!
Have a lovely week!
Shirley
Thank you so much, Shirley! I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day. How lovely you were able to sit down with family!
I really appreciate all your support, thank you! I’m very excited as the plans for the tea events come together. They may well lead to some other cook alongs as well! 🙂
Your recipes sound lovely! I shared your Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas on Twitter and FB yesterday. I’m looking forward to the muffins!
Take care and have a lovely week!
April
Lots of good stuff here! Restrictions are loosening up a little here, but I am hoping it’s not too much too soon.
Thank you, Barbara! Take care and I hope things continue to move in a good direction (and that the speed of them is safe) where you are. Have a lovely week.
Thanks for hosting April – have an amazing Mother’s Day! 🙂
Thank you so much, Ramona! I hope you had a lovely day too.
Your plans for the next class sound great! I’m enjoying a beautiful spring day — hope you are too!
Thank you so much, Sandra! We had a bit of a capricious day – sun, cloud and a bit of rain, but it was still lovely! Wishing you a wonderful week!
Blessed by you!
Thank you so much, Michele! What a lovely compliment! I really appreciate your support of Hearth and Soul.
New Jersey is relaxing a little bit with all the restrictions. Thanks for hosting and happy Mother’s Day!
Shelley
I’m glad things are moving in a good direction, Shelley. Take care and have a lovely week!
Happy Mother’s Day April! Things are looking up in our area, hubby and I are both vaccinated and restrictions are gradually lifting! I brought my Gluten Free Beef Stroganoff to the party this week, I’m all about that comfort food!
Happy Mother’s Day, Leslie! I’m so glad things are looking up where you are! I look forward to your recipe. There’s nothing like Beef Stroganoff for comfort food. Take care and have a lovely week!
Hi April,
Hope you have had a fantastic Mothers Day! We have had some zoom groups today for Mother’s Day and it was so much fun to see everyone and spend a little time with family. When we are so far in distance from each other, in other countries and all over the world really, it is a God sent to be able to see and spend a little time with loved ones. Thanks so much for the party and you have a great week.
Miz Helen
I am so glad you were able to keep up with family and friends on this special day, Miz Helen. I hope you had a fantastic Mother’s Day too! I really am grateful for FaceTime, Zoom and all the ways we can communicate with others far away. I remember when I first came to England 30 years ago my parents would call me once a week for exactly 10 minutes – it cost an absolute fortune for long distance calls in those days. In this case, technology really is a God send! Take care and have a lovely week!
Another week – another round of recipes from my kitchen! I hope you all love them and have a great week ahead!
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Estelle! Have a great week ahead!
Hi April
Your upcoming tea sounds delightful! I will be on the lookout for all the details in your newsletter. I adore scones and look forward to trying your recipe. I also enjoy using my slow cooker year-round–it can be such a convenience.
Have a wonderful week!
Thank you so much, Pat! We had some of the scones I baked for afternoon tea on Mother’s Day and it was lovely. It was such a pleasure to enjoy them with my husband and son, and it made me feel really connected to my Mom and Grandma. I’m so excited to share my recipe during the upcoming afternoon tea class. Take care and have a wonderful week!
I love to bake, too, and always get such inspiration from your blog! Thanks for sharing all your lovely bakes and links!
Happy Monday!
Niky @ The House on Silverado
Thank you so much, Niky! Have a lovely week!
Thank you so much for hosting. Have a wonderful day!
Thank you for visiting, Priyam. Have a lovely week!
Testing recipes! Oh boy. I would happily test them for ya – haha!
Thank you, Alexandra!
I am so excited for your next cooking class. Your grandmother’s scones sound amazing! Thank you so much for featuring my baked Brie and I hope you have a wonderful week. Thanks for hosting April!
Thank you so much, Cindy! I hope you have a wonderful week too!
Food is such a comfort to us when we’re stressed. You’re reminding me I need to put something in the crockpot tomorrow so I will have a meal ready when we’re ready to eat tomorrow night!
It really is, Lisa! I’m glad I reminded you about the crockpot 🙂 Have a lovely week!
I think I take a little too much comfort in food. Ha!
Bless you, Lauren! I think we all do that from time to time 😉
I’m a little late to the party…thank you so much for the feature of my Lemon Rosemary Chicken Soup, much appreciated! Have a great week, the sun is shining here and I really hope it lasts
No worries, Mary! The party is open until Saturday so no rush. I hope you have a great week too!
thank you so much for featuring our twice baked potato casserole! it made my day!
I’m so pleased, Kimberly! Have a lovely rest of the week!
Thank you for the link up! What feeds my soul is the intellectual pursuits and experiences I’ve had in being in an open marriage while challenging my own concepts of sexuality and love. So, while my linked posts (The Sag Experience) Is a little outside the usual content here, I hope that, in general, someone might find something inspirational or at least interesting on my blog.
Thank you so much for visiting, Renee. However, I’m really sorry, we can’t allow links with such sensitive content at Hearth and Soul. We wish you all the best, but as there’s a sensitive content warning on your content, we cannot allow it.
Those features sure do look like comfort food at it’s best!
Thank you, Joanne!
April, thank you so much for featuring my pan-roasted chicken! I hope friends enjoy this easy and juicy chicken preparation that is so versatile. Happy day! Best, Jen
It’s a pleasure, Jen! Have a lovely rest of the week!
Thanks so much for hosting April! Most of the country is wide open again here. I pray that we have not rushed it too much! My heart breaks for everyone who is still experiencing so much loss in the world. Thanks again and have a beautiful day.
I pray that the speed is just right too, Denise. It really is heartbreaking to see so much loss. Take care and I hope you have a beautiful day too!
Hi April, I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day! Thank you for hosting this week! We all appreciate it! Great features! I’m going to have to try some of those recipes! They look soooo good! I hope you have a great week!
Hugs,
Tee @ Teediddlydee
Thank you so much, Tee! I hope your Mother’s Day was lovely too. Have a wonderful week! Hugs!
All that food looks so very yummy. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you are having a wonderful week.
Thank you so much, Patrick! I hope you are having a wonderful week as well!
Yes, April, comfort food is the order of the day. And I brought an easy comfort food main to the party. Thank you for hosting. Stay well and have a lovely Spring!
Thank you so much, for visiting and sharing, Jean! I look forward to your recipe. Hope you are keeping well. Take care and have a lovely Spring!