Until I have a family, my roommates serve that function in more ways than one... but especially having meals together. With my last roommate, we'd cook or order calzones (hawaiian ones) and watch a movie with a glass of wine. At this house, there is simply more quantity, so cooking is an event as much as eating together.

Before I moved in, my roommates apparently rarely ate sit-down dinners together, and by rarely, I mean Never. So of course within a few days of my arrival, Italian nona that I am, I had them all sitting with me, eating and talking. Since that day, we've all taken on some pretty incredible meals. The most recent was a great breakfast of whatever we had in the house... turned out to be brownie pancakes and foamy lattes. I added sprinkles for festivity.... And because I didn't have to flip pancakes, I created a table setting that I think warmed up the morning and made everyone feel special. Echinacea (purple coneflower), Monarda (bee balm), ferns, and Rudbeckia (black-eyed susan, state flower of Maryland) were a colorful centerpiece and we all got over our guilt from eating brownie pancakes eventually.

Another fun way to make a family meal an experience is to take a bike ride beforehand or a digestive walk afterwards... it really does help you digest and it brings everyone together in conversation!