Two birthdays, a dinner, two appointments and a garage that is not going to sort itself. Three recipes, three reads and three books.
I am tired this morning. I sat here trying to figure out why and then I remembered the post I wrote this week, the one about how October is supposed to feel like this. Two birthdays, dinner with friends, work and two appointments. Sometimes too much fun is still too much, and by Thursday all of it caught up with me.
The weekend is going to be lazy, with one exception: the garage. I got into it last weekend and left some things unfinished, and this is the weekend I am going back in to finish the job. My goal is to pull out the holiday things I no longer want and take them to the thrift store. Someone else should have them for their holidays. That feels right.
What about you? What does your weekend look like?
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Food
Three recipes this week, and soup season is officially underway in this house.
Mushroom Barley Soup. Earthy mushrooms, tender vegetables and chewy barley in a rich savory broth, finished with just a touch of creaminess. The kind of soup that fills the kitchen with exactly the right smell on a cool October afternoon. It is hearty enough to be dinner and even better the next day. Jenn Segal of Once Upon a Chef is one of my most trusted recipe sources, and this one is no exception.
![creamy tex-mex chicken tortellini soup slow cooker friday favorites fall]](https://pineconesandacorns.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Creamy-Tex-Mex-Chicken-Tortellini-Soup-Slow-Cooker-Pizzazzerie.jpg)
Creamy Tex-Mex Chicken Tortellini Soup. Chicken tortilla soup meets creamy tortellini soup in a slow cooker. Everything goes in together, cooks low and slow, and comes out ready to top with whatever you like. Set it in the morning and come home to dinner.
Chicken pieces coated in a crispy crust and tossed in a sticky-sweet sesame sauce, all done in the air fryer. Can be made gluten-free with a simple swap, and ready in about twenty minutes. This is the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like you ordered it from somewhere good, and the air fryer means no mess and no guilt. It went straight onto the must-make list.
Creamy pumpkin pie filling topped with buttery streusel, Pumpkin Streusel Pie bars are a delicious alternative to traditional pumpkin pie. I think I may even prefer them to the pie! Bookmark this recipe for the holidays, you will thank me later.
Read, Watch and Listen
Leila Giannetti on the Thrill of the Hunt
This 538-Square-Foot Paris Pied-à-Terre Is Designed to Feel Like a Cabinet of Curiosities
Your Airport Survival Guide to Flight Delay Compensation in the US
Why It’s So Hard to Wake Up Early in Fall and Winter—and What Actually Helps When It’s Still Dark
What is pneumonic plague and how dangerous is it?
The No. 1 Exercise That Everyone Over 50 Should Do Daily, According to a Physical Therapist
This grain could be an answer to drought-prone fields – if more Americans eat it
The spine just wants to move’: How to strengthen your neck
Why King Arthur Still Shapes Pop Culture
On the Nightstand
Three books this week, and all three are going on the list.
Tommorrow There Will Be Apricots by Jessica Soffer
Lorca has spent her whole life learning to cook in order to earn her mother’s attention. Her mother, a chef who is packing Lorca off to boarding school, has one ideal meal she has never been able to recreate, and Lorca resolves to find the recipe for it. She tracks down Victoria, an Iraqi-Jewish widow still navigating grief, and the two spend their days together in Victoria’s kitchen making cardamom pistachio cookies, baklava and masgouf. It is a novel about food as love, about the lengths we go to be seen, and about two women who find in each other what they were not expecting.
The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang
Dr. Jo Ness is a marine biologist who prefers jellyfish to people, with one exception: her best friend Aldo, who died seven months ago. She is still working through his notes on the jellyfish guide they were writing together when she gets a call from Nadia, asking for her help with a mysterious giant jellyfish off the coast of Maine. The footage Nadia sends looks fake. Jo goes anyway, because she could not save Aldo and perhaps she can save something. What she finds on Shattering Point is stranger and more human than she expected. A debut novel about grief, science and the surprising pull of connection, and exactly the kind of book I want to read in October.
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia
Tuesday Mooney is a loner who keeps to herself and watches Twin Peaks reruns until Boston’s most eccentric billionaire dies and leaves behind a city-wide treasure hunt with clues drawn from Edgar Allan Poe. Tuesday loves puzzles. She joins the hunt with a ragtag crew and what follows is funny, strange and full of the particular kind of courage it takes to face the things you have been avoiding. Smart, sharp and oddly moving. Perfect October reading.
You can find all of my book recommendations at My Bookshop. Most titles are also available from Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org and on Libby through your local library.
Outfit of the Week
Black is my favorite color for winter and for traveling. It is so versitile and looks instantly chic. Today I paired black pants with a black turtleneck sweater, black leather boots and bag and a black wool coat. Add your favorite silver or gold jewelry, maybe a brooch and you are ready for a day or night out.
Outfit Separates Below
Tell me what is on your weekend list. Are you doing a little fall sorting, or is it strictly soup and books?
I hope that you enjoyed Friday Favorites. Don’t forget to join Kim and Juliet for Weekend Meanderings tomorrow. Have a wonderful weekend friends.
Find me on Pinterest and Instagram for more during the week.
You may also enjoy:
The Season That Asks You to Stop
Classic Christmas Gifts for Women Over 50 She’ll Love
Gifts for Hot Chocolate Lovers and a DIY Gift Basket
On My Radar
