I will forgive (not forget or regret)
I’m not gonna lie—2015 was hard for me. I lost my dad on October 1st and besides the obvious sadness, it brought up all kinds of emotions for me. Flying to South Africa three times in 13 months also...
View ArticleOrna’s New Year Soup
I went to TJ’s yesterday to get ingredients for soup (the first thing I do to get myself back on track), but alas, their truck hadn’t arrived and I couldn’t find most of my usuals (mirepoix,...
View ArticleHealthy Snack Ideas (Weight Watchers Friendly)
My girlfriend asked me for healthy snack ideas, so I quickly threw together this list… and I thought you all might find it helpful too! (Well… do you? Please pin it, share it, and leave a comment...
View ArticleNighttime Snacks that won’t take you down
Last night I ate… a jar of asparagus, a package of seaweed, a handful of cherry tomatoes and a bag of popcorn. I felt like the very hungry caterpillar. Oh yeah… and a cup of Swiss Miss Light Hot...
View ArticleGuess where I went today?
I’ll give you a clue: It’s not Joey or PF Chang’s or Brent’s Deli or Rosti or any of the other 40 restaurants I’ve eaten at almost every day for the last 42 days since the fire. I decided to stop...
View ArticleI got my mojo back!
And I’m happy to say it isn’t because I lost 5 pounds… or stopped eating sugar… or gave up carbs… or started some rigid exercise regimen. What I did do, was: – focus on and appreciate all the GOOD I...
View ArticleHappy New Year!
This year, instead of writing down five New Year’s resolutions, how about writing down—or thinking about—five things you love about your life. 💕 Thankfulness and gratitude facilitate positive changes...
View ArticleI learned a lesson!
Actually, we can ALL learn a great lesson from ice skating! When you’re sitting at home all cozy and comfy, it seems like such a mission to go out in the freezing cold. Then you get there and put giant...
View ArticleCrunchies Update
Hi Crunchie lovers, I’ve been getting tons of comments and requests for my Crunchies recipe (traditional South African Oatmeal Cookies)—some nice and some well, umm, not so nice. The reason I had...
View ArticleAnnnnd she’s back!
I have to confess that last night after turning on Worst Cooks in America (freakin hilarious BTW – I mean, Eric Estrada cooking badly! And how does he still look 30? Major crush on him when I was,...
View Article✨New✨
What better a way to bring in the ✨New✨ than with this special fruit of the Tree of Life. (New banner, New blog, New year!) If you follow me on social media (and if you don’t, why the heck not?! 😉)...
View ArticleBirthday Baking Championship
Saturday was Aja’s 9th birthday (how did that happen so fast??!!) and we had such a fun party that I couldn’t wait to share it with you. I never know what to do with party pics. Should I text my...
View ArticleHow to save your voice during cold/flu/show season!
This time of year it’s easy to strain your voice from yelling at your kids or your husband (just kidding 😜). But now that I have your attention, I wanted to share my pro-tips for preventing and...
View ArticleHow this remodel forced me to love myself
Remodeling our house (twice) taught me to love myself and my body unconditionally. It also taught me: – What a rock solid relationship I have with my husband – Who my true friends really are – And how...
View ArticleBest Vegetable Soup Ever!
Easy. Healthy. Delicious. In case you’re not following OrnaBakes on Facebook or Instagram (yet 😉) and missed yesterday’s big reveal—here’s the recipe! Please share it with your peeps (you can share it...
View ArticleChewy Ginger Hermit Bars
These really are the perfect Holiday Cookie. They actually get better with age (hence the name, “hermits”), so you can… Make-ahead. Freeze. Gift. Eat! Enjoy! They’re perfectly crispy around the edges...
View ArticleBetter Than Bulkas
I had the time of my life this week making not one, not two, not three…. well puhleazzzz let’s just get to the end of it… I made FIVE batches of Parker House Rolls (!) in an attempt to recreate the...
View ArticleMake Ahead Matzo Matza Matzah Balls
We can all use some soul food right now, and nothing warms your heart, your home, or your belly more than making Matzo Balls from scratch. LOVED having my girlie, Aja, join me unexpectedly. But...
View ArticleBest Bulkas – South African Cinnamon Buns (Rolls) aka Boolkes
These heavenly cinnamon buns are soft and chewy, and oh-so buttery… but not too sweet. Perfect for breakfast or any time with a cup of tea or coffee. Mmmmm. Watch my NEW, easy method on YouTube...
View ArticleBehind the scenes
I know you’re all zoomed out, but I had to share one of the coolest (and scariest) things I have ever done in my life! I had been trying to plan something fun for Aja’s friends on the last day of...
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