Monthly Review: March 2025
- r.m. allen
- Apr 5
- 2 min read
Goods are greater shared—
Fork apportioned, picked apart
a couple crumbs apiece,
each bronzed in caramel, burnished cinnamon
to plunder.
Split along the spiral,
spending with each slice yet undiminishing.
We trade our riches,
a divided bounty—how does joy multiply?
How in loving does the less make more?
Let that last bite be yours.
Here's what I read, cooked, and created in the month of March.
What I Read
A Place for Us, Fatima Farheen Mirza (★★★★)
Happy Place, Emily Henry (★★★★)
Meg and Jo, Virginia Kantra (★★★)
If you want to hear the rationale behind my rating, head to my Goodreads for full reviews.
What I Cooked
Difficulty: ★
Flavor: ★★★★★
Keeper: Yes
Comments: The boneless, skinless chicken thigh is as underrated as it is perfect. This stupidly simple recipe makes for chicken that is great on its own but would be perfectly seasoned for a salad, wrap, or soup.
Difficulty: ★
Flavor: ★★★★
Keeper: Yes
Comments: Since I tried the plain version of these last month with reasonable success, I decided to give the fancier version a go. I found them a filling and tasty breakfast that was reasonably easy to throw together quickly as long as I pre-cooked the veggies.
Difficulty: ★★
Flavor: ★★★★
Keeper: Yes
Comments: Thanks to the Thai crunch chopped salad I made last month, I had plenty of leftover egg roll wrappers, chopped cabbage, and shredded carrots, and this recipe allowed me to finish up all of it (I did not make the dipping sauce in favor of using up more of the Thai dressing, which I substituted). The oven-baked rolls did get nicely crispy, although they lacked the flake and decadence of a deep-fried roll from your favorite Chinese restaurant. I still have a few unbaked rolls in my freezer, and I’m curious how they’ll be once I get around to reheating them.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Difficulty: ★
Flavor: ★★★★★
Keeper: Yes
Comments: Now I understand why people love strawberries and rhubarb together. Since my rhubarb was frozen, I used 2 full tablespoons of cornstarch and sprinkled in a little flour for good measure, and the consistency was great—not sloppy, but not goopy either. This made 4 servings, and I’m glad I have more rhubarb in my freezer because I’d love to make another of these.
Difficulty: ★★
Flavor: ★★★★★
Keeper: Yes
Comments: The pure, hearty comfort of an oatmeal cookie cannot be beaten.
Difficulty: ★★
Flavor: ★★★
Keeper: Maybe
Comments: I forgot to include these in last month’s post, so we get a bonus recipe from February here. While these went over well at the family function where I served them, the cake felt a little dry to me, and the cheesecake was skimpy and not as tangy and creamy as I would have expected from, say, a cheesecake brownie. Underwhelming.
What I Created
Half an essay
The rest of that poem for my poetry club
A stanza of a sonnet
May your days be filled with beauty, and may your heart be filled with the willingness to see and give thanks for it.
Comments