This is a sponsored post

I'm not as much of a cook as I used to be. Before we had Tyler we were a lot more adventurous in the kitchen. We'd open a cookbook, choose a recipe and give it a try. These days, I don't experiment as often but I can follow the heck out of a recipe. Still, I do like to surround myself with kitchen inspiration, just in case. I subscribe to Food Network magazine and Rachel Ray. I added three new food blogs to my reader just last week (and made two of her recipes). I also have cooking shows on as background noise almost all day.

It was a no brainer to say yes when I got an email asking me to co-host a class in the Web’s first-ever virtual cooking school, Cooking Connections, through The Motherhood. The show chefs are two of my most favorite bloggy friends, Busy Dad and Mr. Lady.  Jim is one of the only people who can text me at 11pm and get me to come meet him for drinks and Shannon is my girl crush. The show, airing this Wednesday, is Cooking with Dad, and if Jim's videos from our Tastemaker days are any indication, it's going to be good.

When: Wednesday, 3/16 at 8pm ET

Where: TheMotherhood

My lovely co- hosts:

Angry Julie: Angry Julie Monday | @AngryJulie

Mishelle Lane: Secret Agent Mama | @secretagentmama

Ashley Evans: Schadenfreudette | @schadenfreudett

Tanis Miller: Attack of the Redneck Mommy | @redneckmommy

Dan Deguia: Deguia.net |@deguia

Lotus Carroll: Sarcastic Mom | @SarcasticMomLC

PJ Mullen: Real Men Drive Minivans | @pjmullen

MomoFali: Momo Fali | @momofali

Robin Sue Joss: Big Red Kitchen | @bigredkitchen

Eddie Carroll: Life, One Pixel at a Time | @middletonrare

Jim and Shannon will be live video feed, and my co-host and I will be sharing stories and tips for having fun in the kitchen with Dad (and/or the other non-cooks of the family) in the comment section. If you Tweet, follow the conversation #CookingConnections. Care to join us?

The class is sponsored by ConAgra and hosted by TheMotherhood. I'm being compensated to participate and invite you to come have fun with me. The statements that Jim and Shannon rock my socks are my own opinion.

Thinking Of Japan and Sending Prayers

photo © 2006 Giulio Bernardi | more info (via: Wylio)

I was going to do another Fashion Friday but my heart isn't in it today. I fell asleep on the couch watching the news coverage of the devastation in Japan. The images of the waves of water moving through communities will stay with me for a long time. I can only imagine how much worse it will be when the waters completely recede and the cleanup, rescue and recovery efforts can begin. 

On Twitter I mentioned that before social media (and I guess before becoming a SAHM), it was very likely that I wouldn't have know about the quake and tsunami until I woke up the next day. And even that would depend on whether I had time to turn on the news while getting ready. How things have changed!

The Huffington Post has a thorough piece on who is collecting funds for relief aid. At times like this, it's reaffirming to see humanity come together but also sickens me to see those who take this as an opportunity to commit fraud and prey on our sense of giving. Please make sure you donate to a reputable, legitimate organization.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Japan as they deal with aftershocks and new quakes; To all who have loved ones and family over there; to our military who are on their way to help; and anyone else with ties over there.