The Hospitality Podcast with Katherine Sasser

Getting children ready to live in the real world can feel overwhelming.  In today's episode, Katherine takes her master list of Lessons I Want My Children To Learn Before They Launch and talks in more detail about ten specific lessons.

Cooking and hospitality appear to go together like peanut butter and jelly.  You can't have one without the other, right?  Wrong! Maybe this line of thinking has kept you from engaging in hospitality, or maybe it has given you a false perspective of what the pursuit of hospitality actually involves. Today, I am going to take our assumption that cooking and hospitality go hand in hand and show you that even if you never want to step foot in your kitchen, you can still engage in hospitality. 

If you have ever hosted an event or invited people into your home, then you know that one of the real-world considerations is the literal cost involved.  The expense of hosting others can add up quickly, and before we know it we may find ourselves thinking that hospitality is better suited for people with a lot of money, or at least, more money than we have. In today's episode, Katherine is going to broach the awkward topic of money as it relates to hospitality and how to separate the truth about how we utilize our resources from the lie that we always need more.

What do you think of your house?  Do you like it?  Do you loathe it?   How does it make you feel to think about inviting people into your home?  Are you eager?  Or are you convinced that hospitality could never happen inside the walls of your house? Without question, one of the biggest hindrances to hospitality is the way we feel about where we live.  In today's episode, Katherine is sharing a lesson that will reveal this way of thinking for the lie that it is and provide a path forward that will free us to willingly invite people into our home.

When it comes to celebrating big life events, we are familiar with the role hospitality plays in hosting a celebration.  But, what role does hospitality play in the days and weeks leading up to the party or gathering?  In today's episode, Katherine is taking us behind the scenes to reveal how she is putting hospitality into practice as she prepares and plans for a major event in the life of her family.

Laundry is always with us, and if we let it, laundry can dominate our days (and nights). In this episode, Katherine shares her laundry system along with tips and secrets to making laundry manageable.

In the last of four mini-episodes covering the four hospitality roadmap markers, Katherine is sharing the truth of what it means to welcome and invite, why we often feel overwhelmed by this step, and a method that promises a sustainable way forward.

Once we have created a foundation of living well and creating home, we are ready for the next marker on the hospitality roadmap.  In today's episode, Katherine explains what it means to share and extend our foundation to others and why this matters in our hospitality practice.

If you have ever wondered how your home fits into a hospitality practice, this episode is for you.  Katherine unpacks all the details included in the second of four hospitality roadmap markers, why they matter, and how to not feel overwhelmed by creating home.

In today's episode, Katherine explains the first of the four markers on the hospitality roadmap.  Live Well is the foundational basis from which our hospitality practice emerges.  Listen in to learn more about what Live Well encompasses, why it matters, and how to get started.

When it comes to hospitality, there is a secret ingredient, a hidden method that makes the whole endeavor sustainable. In today's episode, Katherine shares the key that makes hospitality work and the ways you can incorporate it into your life.

If you have ever wondered how to make hospitality happen in your life, this episode delivers the roadmap of how to get from point A to point B.  The Hospitality Roadmap is a progression of steps that are designed to be taken in a particular order to deliver hospitality results that are sustainable and life-giving. 

In today's episode, Katherine introduces the concept of Lovely Living and paints a picture of what a life centered around hospitality can really look like.  Lovely Living is a bedrock of hospitality, and is an attainable lifestyle that will elevate every aspect of your life. 

After a brief hiatus from podcasting, Katherine is back, sharing personal updates from the past several weeks, unveiling an exciting series of new events she is working on, and outlining what to look forward to in the coming months.  It's a catch up session you won't want to miss!

When it comes to homey, elegant food, nothing beats a roast chicken. For most people, this task may seem daunting, out of reach, or not worth the effort. In today's episode, Katherine shares a number of reasons why she wants everyone to learn to roast a chicken and why most of the benefits have little to do with the bird.

It is no exaggeration to say that understanding limits and boundaries can be life changing. From the marriage relationship to interacting with strangers at the grocery store, opportunities to exercise healthy boundaries and live within our limits present themselves at every turn. In today's episode, Katherine is sharing a few candid things she has learned about limits and boundaries that may not be obvious on the surface.

In today's episode, Katherine is answering all the questions that you asked! From her favorite kitchen knife, to her philosophy on freezer meals, to her thoughts on baby shower etiquette...this episode has it all!

Do you love meal planning (or the idea of meal planning) but get stuck understanding how to make it a reality in your life?  In today's super-practical episode, Katherine discusses her method for calmly cooking dinner.  Grab some paper and a pen...you will want to take notes!

It happens to the best of us...we make mistakes and forget to include one of Ina's cookbooks in the cookbook reviews! In today's emergency bonus episode, Katherine circles back and includes her previously forgotten review of Barefoot Contessa Foolproof.

When it comes to taking action and serving others during major life moments, our hearts are usually eager to serve and step in.  However, more times than not, we fail to take action for one reason or another.  In today's episode, Katherine discusses common reasons we don't take action and antidotes for stepping forward.

In today's episode Katherine finishes up her three-part series reviewing all of Ina Garten's cookbooks. She shares stand-out recipes, honest opinions, and things of note from Make It Ahead, Cooking For Jeffrey, and Cook Like A Pro.

When big things happen in the lives of those we love, knowing the best way to show up and care for them can be tricky.  In today's episode, Katherine is sharing a list of guidelines for showing up during major moments.  From knowing how long to stay, what kind of questions to ask, and a basic foundational truth that applies to any situation, this episode is packed with practical tools to allow you to confidently step in and serve others well.

When it comes to hospitality, many of us may define success as a perfect, error-free event, or a meal that was flawlessly executed.  True success in hospitality usually involves metrics that have nothing to do with the way our efforts are executed, and more to do with how we interact with the process.  In today's episode, Katherine will discuss five signs of success in hospitality, providing you the opportunity to evaluate your own efforts through an unexpected lens.

In our hospitality journey, there is a progression that takes place as we grow and develop from novice to well-seasoned hosts.  In today's episode, Katherine shares descriptions and distinguishing characteristics of the five different kinds of hosts along with details on how you can take the free quiz to find out which one best fits you.

If we are honest, most of us probably think that hospitality is for other people who have more time, more talent, more energy, more margin.  In today's episode, Katherine unpacks a common lie that we all believe about hospitality and replaces it with powerful truths that can transform your mindset and show you that hospitality is indeed for you.

There is something about a baked fruit dessert that encapsulates the spirit of the summer, but so often cobblers turn out doughy, watery, and flavorless. Today Katherine is sharing her recipe for Blackberry Skillet Cobbler. This gem of a recipe will banish your cobbler nightmares and teach you how to make an easy dessert that will keep you coming back all year long.

Do you own any of Ina Garten's cookbooks? In today's episode, part two of a three-part series, Katherine is sharing her review of the next three of Ina's cookbooks. She will look at Barefoot Contessa At Home, Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics, and Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That.

For such a basic ingredient, understanding salt is not simple.  In today's episode, Katherine discusses the role salt plays in cooking, the assortment of varieties and brands and how to use each, plus a guide for learning how to successfully use salt with confidence in your own kitchen.

Food is a basic human need, but when it comes to hospitality, what role does food play?  In today's episode, Katherine will address the complicated topic of food and look specifically at the role it plays in hospitality.  She will outline our reasons food matters and provide examples of why our view of food matters when creating space for others. 

After over 100 days of living life amid a pandemic, how are you doing? In today's episode, I am talking about how I am feeling, coping, struggling, and surviving after walking through this strange season for sixteen weeks.  I am also sharing some helpful resources and life-giving strategies that I have put into practice in my own life.  I hope these will serve to encourage and equip you as we continue on together.

Is there anything better than a homemade chocolate chip cookie? As an avid home cook and bakery owner, Katherine has made thousands of chocolate chip cookies over the past twenty years.   On today's episode, Katherine shares how she developed her recipe as well as her top tips for successful chocolate chip cookies.  Katherine also shares how to store chocolate chip cookies to extend their shelf life, ways to prepare them in advance, and a few variations for you to consider.

Do you own any of Ina Garten's cookbooks? Today, in Part One of a three part series, Katherine shares her review of Ina's first four cookbooks.  Today's episode looks at The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, and Barefoot In Paris.

Have you wondered how hospitality could possibly be relevant in a climate of sheltering in place and social distancing? In today's episode, Katherine shares why hospitality still matters, why it is still worth the time, and why is it something we all need, especially right now.

Have you ever put in the time and effort to cook something from scratch, only to have it flop or not deliver what you were expecting?  The truth is, it might not be your fault. In today's episode, Katherine reveals the truth about recipes and why most of them cannot be trusted. To help you navigate the difference between a good recipe and a not-so-good recipe, Katherine shares two valuable lists:  "Four Signs Of A Good Recipe" and "Ten Tips For How To Tell If A Recipe Can Be Trusted Or Not."

For most mothers, the idea of navigating body talk with their daughters can bring on a cold sweat. In today's episode, Katherine shares three tips regarding how to talk to your daughters about their bodies. Based in a series of personal decisions, each with a specific outcome in mind, the tips covered in today's episode are universally applicable. The episode can provide a framework from which to build healthy habits and behaviors in your own life and the life of your children.

What is it about receiving compliments that makes us so uncomfortable? In today's episode, Katherine explores this socially awkward topic through the lens of hospitality by examining the motives behind our discomfort. With a simple strategy and a mindset focused on others, receiving compliments can become an artful expression of love.

In this episode, Katherine continues the telling the saga of the Ina In A Year project. Fraught with unexpected trials and unmet expectations, this is the side of the Ina Project that you have not heard about!

Do you know who Ina Garten is? Did you know that Katherine cooked all of Ina's recipes in one year? In today episode, Katherine tells Part One of the Ina In A Year story, sharing the origin story of the idea, the hurdles to making it happen, and hinting at heartache along the way.

In this episode, Katherine shares the details of her recipe for Buttermilk Cornbread plus a primer on cast iron skillets through the lens of hospitality.

If you had to provide a definition for hospitality, could you? In today's episode, Katherine will provide a foundational definition for hospitality that will be easy to bring to the front of your mind when needed. In addition, she will also explore the difference between hosting and entertaining, giving ways to tell the two apart. Finally, she will address the question of why we bother with hospitality in the first place. Is it really worth it? This episode is designed to pique your interest and get you excited to begin your own hospitality journey!