When Sonja and Alex Overhiser got hitched, they wanted to start hosting friends and family for dinner. But there was a problem: neither one of them really knew how to cook. “We started the A Couple Cooks blog to document our learning to cook together, and it gradually grew into both of our full-time jobs,” says Sonja. What they found in the process was that cooking together was actually fun. Also: cooking together can bring you closer and inspire new recipes that you love, and it encourages you to build community.

“For us, food has always been about people," adds Alex. "So we thought it would be especially meaningful to write a book about the joy of togetherness in the kitchen, and inspire other people to grab a partner (significant other, family member, or friend) and whip up something delicious together.”

Their new book A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together releases this week and makes a great holiday, wedding, or anniversary gift for couples, new and seasoned. Here, Sonja shares a few tips for cooking with your partner, plus four comforting and delicious recipes excerpted from the book!

Tips For Cooking With Your Partner

Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

Share in the planning and prep

The holidays can be kind of stressful (and sometimes we look forward with both excitement and dread!). Having another person share in the planning and prepping can de-stress the activity and even make it fun! Plus, you can create fun memories around new dishes you try (like, remember Alex, when we made that amazing apple galette with bourbon salted caramel for Thanksgiving?).

Focus on individual tasks (over a glass of wine?)

We each have our own skills and preferences. Alex is really good at things like making bread or searing meat, so he takes the lead in those sort of recipes. I tend toward prepping soups, salads, quick breads, desserts, and overall meal planning / strategizing. But often we'll change things up depending on the recipe! It's really a kitchen dance.

Put the relationship first

We often argue over the final seasoning and how much salt to add at the end of a recipe! I generally add too much to trying to get the flavor "pop" so Alex has to hold me back. Or we spar over how to style things on a plate (that's more of a food photography argument, but it translates to meals too!).

We've learned to really listen to each other and back down if we find the other person is very passionate about something. Of course, that could end in an "I told you so" moment later, but we've found that we try to remember that relationship and the experience is more important than one person being "right".

Don’t forget the herbs!

Our favorite cooking hack: Using fresh herbs! Every recipe is a little better with a few chopped herbs. We have an herb garden and some favorites are dill, basil, thyme, mint, and tarragon, and our rosemary and sage even hang through late fall to winter. If you don't have a garden, buying fresh herbs is absolutely worth the few extra dollars for the difference in flavor.

Recipes Excerpted From A Couple Cooks

Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

Harvest Caesar Bowl

Here’s a bowl that’s endlessly customizable—a riff on a dinner we started eating on repeat around the birth of our daughter and still do today! What began as a pregnancy craving for Caesar salad turned into a weeknight main dish with a rotating topping of veggies, chicken, or shrimp. (We’ll always remember devouring a takeout version in the hospital room while awaiting the baby’s arrival!) This satisfying combination of roasted sweet potatoes, seasoned chickpeas, and shaved Parmesan cheese is topped with an irresistibly creamy, Greek yogurt–based spin on Caesar (though feel free to use store-bought dressing if you’re pressed for time). Customize the bowl by adding cooked chicken or a grain like rice or quinoa, making it a filling meal that never gets old.

SERVES 4

  • 2 lb [910 g] sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), skin on, scrubbed and cut into ¾ in [2 cm] dice
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning (see Tips)
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • 15 oz [430 g] can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1½ cups [240 g] cooked chickpeas
  • ⅛ tsp cumin
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch (about 8 oz [230 g]) Tuscan kale, washed, torn into bite-size pieces, and massaged
  • 2 romaine hearts (about 8 oz [230 g]), chopped
  • 2 cups [120 g] chopped red cabbage
  • ¼ cup [18 g] Parmesan cheese shavings
  • ¼ cup [35 g] roasted pepitas (see Tips)
  • 1 recipe Creamy Parmesan Dressing (see page 189) or 1 cup [240 g] store-bought Caesar dressing
  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F [230°C].
  2. In a large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic powder, chili powder, Old Bay, and ¼ teaspoon of the kosher salt. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the sweet potatoes on it in an even layer. Bake, without flipping, until the cubes are tender and browned, 25 to 27 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the chickpeas with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the cumin, the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and several grinds of black pepper.
  4. To serve, divide the kale and romaine among four shallow bowls or plates. Top with the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, cabbage, Parmesan cheese, and pepitas. Drizzle generously with the dressing and serve.

Creamy Parmesan Dressing

  • ¼ cup [60 g] mayonnaise
  • ½ cup [120 g] Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup [8 g] finely grated
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
  • ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp dry mustard powder (optional)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

To make the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, mustard powder, kosher salt, and black pepper until a creamy dressing forms. If necessary, stir in 1 tablespoon of water to bring the dressing to a pourable consistency (this varies based on the yogurt brand).

Tips

Don’t have Old Bay? Substitute ½ teaspoon smoked paprika plus an additional ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt. If all you can find is raw pepitas, you can toast them yourself in a skillet over medium heat until they start to pop and become golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Cooking Together

While one of you gets the sweet potatoes in the oven and chops the fresh vegetables for the bowl, the other can mix up the chickpeas and the dressing.

For Vegan

Use Lemon Tahini Sauce and omit the Parmesan shavings.

Storage

Leftovers will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Diet Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan option

Excerpted from A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together by Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Shelly Westerhausen Worcel.

Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

Spiced Latte Loaf

The moist slices of this fun and funky quick bread are reminiscent of a chai latte, with notes of milky vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. The best part is when you cut the first slice to show the beautiful spiced swirl decoration inside. There are a few components to assemble, so it’s nice to have a partner to help with this baking project. One day we had the crazy idea of slicing up leftovers into strips and baking it to make biscotti, and it’s surprisingly effective. The crunchy strips pair well with morning coffee or an afternoon snack.

MAKES ONE 9 X 5 IN [23 X 13 CM] LOAF

  • 1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ cup [52 g] packed light brown sugar
  • 2 ¼ cups [315 g] all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup [200 g] granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup [240 ml] milk of choice
  • ¼ cup [60 ml] neutral oil
  • ¼ cup [60 ml] unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Butter a 9 x 5 in [23 x 13 cm] metal loaf pan.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the spice mix: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves.
  3. In a medium bowl, make the streusel topping: Add the brown sugar, ¼ cup [35 g] of the flour, and 1 teaspoon of the spice mix to the bowl and mix lightly with a fork. Continue mixing while pouring in the melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups [280 g] of flour and the granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until completely smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until a smooth batter forms. Pour ¾ cup [180 g] of the batter into a liquid measuring cup and stir the remaining spice mix into the measuring cup to create a darker spiced batter.
  6. Pour about half the vanilla batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it into an even layer with a spatula. Pour the spiced batter on top and smooth it, then pour on the remaining vanilla batter and smooth it. To swirl the batters together, insert a butter knife in the top corner of the pan so it just touches the bottom. Draw about 3 large S shapes through the entire pan, then repeat in a slightly different position. Rotate the pan 90 degrees and make 2 large S shapes in the other direction. Sprinkle the top of the batter with the streusel.
  7. Bake the loaf for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Let cool fully to room temperature (30 minutes to 1 hour) before cutting into slices.

Tip

Turn leftovers into biscotti! Cut ¾ in [2 cm] thick slices into 1 in [2.5 cm] wide strips, then bake at 300°F [149°C] for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown and mostly crisp (they will firm up as they cool). Let cool for 30 minutes. Store in a sealed container with a paper towel. Serve with coffee or tea.

Cooking Together

Have one person start with the streusel topping while the other makes the batter. Then assemble the loaf together.

Storage

The loaf will keep, wrapped in aluminum foil, at room temperature for 4 days, or refrigerated for 10 days (bring to room temperature before enjoying). To store frozen for up to 3 months, slice the loaf, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe container.

Diet Vegetarian

Excerpted from A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together by Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Shelly Westerhausen Worcel.

Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

Apple Galette with Bourbon Caramel

This rustic French tart lets you skip fiddling with pie dough to make free-form folded layers of golden pastry. Piling the crust full of cinnamon-spiced apples is a fun fall treat, but of course you can indulge any time of the year. There are endless variations on this type of fruit tart. Serve with melty vanilla ice cream, or even better, drizzle with gooey Bourbon Salted Caramel. The mad scientist in you will love how easy it is to make a caramel sauce out of a few basic ingredients.

SERVES 8

Galette Dough

  • 1½ cups [210 g] all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 10 Tbsp [150 g] cold unsalted butter or vegan butter
  • 5 to 6 Tbsp [80 to 90 ml] cold water
  • 1 egg, for the egg wash
  • 1 Tbsp Demerara or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Filling

  • 1 lb [455 g] crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp (about 2 large), unpeeled, thinly cut into ⅛ in [3 mm] slices (3½ cups sliced)
  • 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into very small pieces Bourbon Salted Caramel (recipe follows)
  1. To make the galette dough, in a medium bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and baking powder. Cut the butter into small pieces, then use a pastry blender or fork to cut it into the flour mixture until mostly incorporated and a pebbly texture forms, with pea-size or smaller pieces.
  2. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons [80 ml] of the cold water over the flour, mixing gradually with a fork until the flour is mostly incorporated. Knead with your fingers until the dough comes together, adding the additional 1 tablespoon water. (If the mixture is still too floury, add ½ tablespoon more water.) Form the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a thick disk. Chill the crust in a covered container in the refrigerator for 1 hour (see Tips).
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F [190°C] and line a rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Flour a work surface.
  4. To make the filling, in a medium bowl, stir the apple slices with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cornstarch until fully coated.
  5. On the floured surface, roll out the dough into an even 12 in [30 cm] circle (if necessary, move the dough around and add a bit more flour underneath to keep it from sticking). Carefully transfer the dough to the parchment paper.
  6. Fan out small handfuls of apple slices and layer them on the crust, reserving the juices at the bottom of the bowl. Leave at least 2 inches of dough uncovered around the outside edge. Fold the outside edges of the dough over the filling, overlapping the folds to form a partial top crust. Pour the reserved juice over the exposed apple slices in the center.
  7. Dot the apple slices evenly with the small pieces of butter. Whisk the egg and use a pastry brush to brush it over the crust. Sprinkle the crust and filling with Demerara or turbinado sugar (or more granulated sugar).
  8. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 38 to 40 minutes. Transfer the galette on the parchment paper to a baking rack and let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before cutting into pieces and serving. Drizzle with Bourbon Salted Caramel (recipe follows) before serving, or top with ice cream.

Bourbon Salted Caramel

MAKES ⅔ CUP [160 ML]

  • ½ cup [100 g] granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup [60 ml] water
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup [80 ml] heavy cream
  • ½ Tbsp bourbon (see Tips)
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, water, and kosher salt. Cook, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the sugar and salt are dissolved and it starts to boil, about 2 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat slightly to a simmer and cook, constantly bubbling, until the sugar turns deep amber, 8 to 11 minutes. Occasionally give a gentle stir with a spatula to ensure even cooking. Watch closely toward the end of the cooking time, as the color darkens quickly.
  3. Once the sugar turns deep amber, immediately reduce the heat to low. Add the cream, which will cause the mixture to bubble vigorously; stir constantly with a spatula, until it is a rich caramel color, about 90 seconds. Stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract and cook for 20 seconds more.
  4. Transfer the caramel to a small bowl to cool, leaving any hardened bits of sugar in the pan. Let cool and thicken for 10 minutes before serving. It will keep thickening the longer it sits; if it becomes too thick, reheat gently before serving (see Tips).

Tips

Galettes are endlessly customizable! For the filling, use 3 cups of any seasonal fruit, ⅓ to ½ cup [65 to 100 g] of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Taste and adjust the filling as desired based on the sweetness of the fruit. Try peaches, pears, plums, blueberries, and more.

Make the crust in advance for easy prep. The dough will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days. Before rolling, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Or wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months, then defrost overnight in the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling.

You can also make the caramel sauce in advance. Refrigerate the sauce, then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.

Omit the bourbon in the caramel sauce if desired. It’s just as tasty!

Liqueur Pairing

After the galette, enjoy a small glass of Amaro Nonino Quintessentia or Amaro Averna. These caramel-colored liqueurs have a bittersweet, smooth finish and an herbal complexity that complements the apples’ natural tartness.

Cooking Together

After the dough is chilled, have one person roll out the dough while the other person makes the filling. Then whip up the caramel sauce together while the galette bakes.

For Vegan

Use vegan butter and, instead of using the egg wash, brush the crust with nondairy milk. Omit the salted caramel.

Storage

Leftovers will keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Diet

Vegetarian, vegan option

Excerpted from A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together by Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Shelly Westerhausen Worcel.

Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

Mini Cardamon Cinnamon Rolls

What’s a better weekend baking project than ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls? The star here is the cardamom-orange filling, inspired by a cardamom bun we had on a Sunday morning bakery run in Chicago. (We couldn’t pass up a visit to Lost Larson bakery, since it’s the name of our son, which he found wildly amusing.)

This makes a 9 x 9 pan of mini rolls, so you can eat more than one and have enough to go around! Baking is a two-day process (since who wants to wake up 3 hours beforehand?). Start the rolls the night before and refrigerate overnight, then bake them in the a.m. and enjoy the cinnamon-spiced scent wafting through your kitchen.

MAKES 16 SMALL ROLLS

Dough

  • 3 cups [420 g] bread flour
  • ¼ cup [50 g] granulated sugar
  • 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) [21 g] instant yeast (see Tips)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 Tbsp [55 g] unsalted butter
  • 1 cup [240 ml] milk
  • 1 egg, beaten

Filling

  • ½ cup [100 g] packed light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp lightly packed orange zest
  • 1½ Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Frosting

  • ½ cup [60 g] powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp milk
  • ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
  1. To make the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and kosher salt. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the milk and heat until lukewarm (warm to the touch, but not hot, or between 105° and 115°F [40° and 45°C]).
  2. Pour the butter and milk mixture into the flour mixture. Add the egg and stir with a fork until a rough dough forms. Attach a dough hook to the mixer and mix on medium-low speed for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchy. The dough should be very sticky and will not form a ball in the mixer. (You can also knead the dough by hand; keep in mind it will be very sticky at first.)
  3. Flour a work surface, scrape the dough onto it, and knead it a few times, then shape it into a rough ball. Place the dough ball in a large clean bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm location until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
  4. To make the filling, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest. Grease a metal 9 x 9 in [23 x 23 cm] baking dish.
  5. Lightly flour a work surface and scoop the dough onto it. Gently roll out the dough into a 12 x 12 in [30 x 30 cm] square. Tug the corners a bit to make them as square as possible. Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a ½ in [13 mm] border unbrushed at the left and right edges.

Tips

Instant yeast (rather than active dry yeast) is required for this recipe, which allows quick rise times. If using active dry yeast, the rise times will be about double.

To bake the cinnamon rolls the day of, proceed immediately to baking. Bake 20 minutes covered with foil, then uncovered about 10 minutes, checking whether they are cooked through using a food thermometer.

Cooking Together

This is a baking project that’s much easier with a partner! It’s often helpful to have one person read the recipe out loud while the other gets their hands into the dough. Trade off on tasks and enjoy the process.

Storage

The cinnamon rolls will keep at room temperature, covered with aluminum foil, for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, at 350°F [180°C] until warmed through,10 to 12 minutes.

Diet

Vegetarian

Excerpted from A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together by Sonja Overhiser and Alex Overhiser, © 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Shelly Westerhausen Worcel.

Thanks Sonja and Alex! Check out A Couple Cooks: 100 Recipes to Cook Together for more delicious recipes you can cook together.

Check out our Pinterest for more recipes too!

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It's clear that celebrity breakups aren't slowing down anytime soon, and Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's has been a heartbreaker for sure. Rumors about the couple's split began when TMZ reported that they were "heading" for divorce, and even though Joe posted a picture to his Instagram with his wedding band in full view on September 4, the couple later announced they're getting divorced. Here's everything we know about their relationship timeline from when they met to how they're both handling the post-divorce life.

From their red carpet debut to their engagement, the couple has chosen exactly what they wanted to announce — and what they want to keep private. "I’m in a relationship, but it’s a very private relationship," Sophie told The Sunday Times.

"I'm very protective of the life we've built...You never want to market yourself as a celebrity couple. It's not that cool," she tellsElle UK. "And my daughter never asked for any of this. I know what it can do to your mental health to be in this industry, and to be photographed every day and have the comments. It's not something I want her to deal with unless she says, 'This is what I want to do.' We're quite strict about that."

"When we started dating, I realized that I didn't have a ton of stuff that was just for me," Joe told MR PORTER. "And in the end, it makes me a better person to have something for myself."

However, the singer's privacy is more about about his loved ones than himself. “You’re protecting your family, your friends and those around you,” Joe told Entertainment Tonight. “You wanna be really protective over how much you wanna share in your personal life, and I feel like as artists, we get the opportunity to express our heart through our music, and so that’s where I’m personal and honest as I can be.”

A Timeline Of Joe Jonas And Sophie Turner's Relationship

2016 — Joe Jonas Slid Into Sophie Turner's DMs

"We had a lot of mutual friends, and they’d been trying to introduce us for a long time," Sophie told Harper's Bazaar in 2019. "We were following each other on Instagram and he direct-messaged me one fine day, out of the blue."

This is actually super similar to how Nick Jonas made the first move on his wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas! After finally meeting IRL and realizing they liked each other, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner became exclusive in private before deciding to take their relationship public.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

January 1, 2017 — Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Go Instagram Official

Sophie posted a photo of Joe smoking a cigar on a boat to Instagram on January 1, 2017, with "Miami daze" as the caption.

"You do feel like you’re living in a fishbowl," she told Marie Claire UK about celebrity life later that summer. "It’s frustrating [that] it’s the most mundane things that make the news – how boring! There are really no other headlines?"

October 2017 — Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Get Engaged

By the time fall 2017 rolled around, the couple was madly in love and announced that they were engaged with matching Instagram posts (his reads "She said yes," and hers reads, "I said yes.")

"I think once you’ve found the right person, you just know," she told Rolling Stonein 2019.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

May 2019 — Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Get Married

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner got married in Las Vegas in May 2019. "We had to get legally married in the states, so we thought it'd be really fun to get all of our friends, invite them out, and do an impromptu wedding," Joe told GQ. "It kind of blew up in our faces because my parents called me the next morning and they were like, 'Did you just get married?' And I realized I told everybody, but I forgot to tell my parents."

June 2019 — Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Get Married...Again!

However, it seems like Mr. and Mrs. Jonas were able to see the second round of nuptials, a more-private ceremony at the end of June 2019. The official ceremony took place at Le Château de Tourreau in Sarrians, France. Kevin and Nick Jonas were Joe's groomsmen, while Sophie's Game of Thrones costar (and BFF) Maisie Williams was her maid of honor.

July 2020 — Sophie Turner Gives Birth To Baby Willa

The internet was over the moon when Sophie was seen with a baby bump, and TMZ reported that the couple gave birth on July 22, 2020, before later revealing the baby's name is Willa.

"[They] are over the moon," a source told Entertainment Tonight at the end of July 2020. "The couple is already obsessed and can't stop gloating about their new addition. The couple is taking time to enjoy this special moment and have only shared the news and updates with family and friends."

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

July 2022 — Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Have Baby No. 2

It's been a busy few years for both Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. The Jonas Brothers released Happiness Begins in 2019, followed by this year's The Album, while Sophie starred in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The Staircase, and Do Revenge. But unknown to the rest of the world, they were also getting ready for baby number two!

Sophie showed up to the May 2022 Met Gala cradling a baby bump, and then made her official pregnancy announcement in an Elle UK feature the next day. "The greatest thing in life is seeing my daughter go from strength to strength," she says in the interview. "We're so excited to be expanding the family. It's the best blessing ever."

In July 2022, PEOPLE confirmed that the couple had welcomed their second daughter!

September 2023 — Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner Announce Their Divorce

TODAY received an exclusive petition saying Joe Jonas has filed for divorce from Sophie Turner, and that their marriage is "irretrievably broken." He also states that the divorce is in the best interest of their daughters, and that the couple will "have shared parental responsibility" moving forward.

On September 6, the couple shared joint statements to their Instagram accounts. "After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage," the statements read. "There are many speculative narratives as to why, but truly this is a united decision and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children."

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner came to a new (temporary) agreement on where their kids would live after Sophie sued Joe for "wrongful retention" of their children in New York. According to new documentation, the two children will stay in New York, which both Joe and Sophie have consented to.

"After a productive and successful mediation, we have agreed that the children will spend time equally in loving homes in both the U.S. and the UK," Joe and Sophie said in a statement the week of October 11. Since the agreement legally lasts until January 7, the former couple will "jointly submit a status report letter" before December 23, according to the agreement.

On January 11, a new UK custody plan for Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner was approved, leading Sophie to drop last fall's wrongful retention claims on January 17 "with prejudice, and without attorneys’ fees, expenses, costs and/or disbursements awarded to either party."

Sophie Turner/Instagram

September 2024 — Sophie Turner Gets Real About Motherhood Following Joe Jonas Divorce

Sophie Turner opened up about her role as the titular character in Joan, a new TV series, and shared how art is imitating life. "If I hadn’t been a mother, I don’t know if I would have been able to bring the same energy that I did into it," she said (via The Sunday Times). Though she mentioned it's not easy being a "single mother," some people took what she said out of context.

She wasn't talking about herself, but her character Joan's efforts to do the unseemly to have her child back in her life. Still, she clarified her comments via her Instagram stories so there's no confusion about her words. IMO, I don't think she needed to do that because being a mother is hard. Caring for children isn't just about candid Paparazzi or social media posts. When you're doing it by yourself or with a support village, it takes time, effort, consistency, repetition, and so much more!

Luckily she and Joe Jonas are able to have a situation where they're co-parenting so they can alternate between working and caring for them.

www.instagram.com

October 2024 — Sophie Turner Celebrates New Beau's Birthday...

There have been PLENTY of rumors about Sophie Turner and Peregrine Pearson lately, but she's been understandably tight-lipped about it all. It seems like she's ready to be more forward about her new boyfriend, though! On October 27, 2024, Sophie posted a birthday celebration for Peregrine on Instagram. She wrote, "Happy Birthday my angel pie 🥧🎉 30, flirty and thriving 🎈" alongside a carousel of adorable snaps throughout their relationship.

...And Makes Rare Comments On Divorce From Joe Jonas

On October 30, 2024, Sophie opened up to Harpers Bazaar about her divorce from Joe Jonas. “I’m going through a legal process right now where I can’t really say much, but it was incredibly sad," she said. "We had a beautiful relationship, and it was hard.”

Even though she described the relationship as "beautiful," she also explained that she felt like her life was "on pause" when she wasn't in England. She explained, "I just never really feel like myself when I’m not in London, with my friends and family. I was away for so long – six years – and it was when my friends were getting engaged, and when I got pregnant."

Now, after missing out on "key experiences" with her people, it's clear Sophie is more than happy to be back in London.

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This post has been updated.

How is your day going? We bet a bit of chocolate cake would make it better — like, way better. And if a bit makes it better, then for good measure, let’s up the stakes to 24 different and divine chocolate cakes and just have a ball. From classic layered numbers to waffle cake masterpieces, we’ve got all your chocolate cake dreams covered. Tie back your hair, and let’s get to baking!

Sarah Anderson

Red Wine Pear Cake with Chocolate Ganache

This chocolate cake has a tinge of red wine to really complement all the flavors. It's the perfect delicacy for dinner parties or even a lil' Valentine's celebration! (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

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Miso Chocolate Cake

The umami notes of miso work surprisingly well with chocolate. Bake up the power duo in this delicious (and easy!) sheet cake. (via Brit + Co)

Half Baked Harvest

Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pretzel Cake

When you get a bite of both the creamy ice cream and fudgy chocolate layers in this cake, you will experience absolute heaven. (via Half Baked Harvest for Brit + Co)

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Star-Studded Dark Chocolate Cake Bites

You need to make these festive chocolate-covered cake bites adorned with adorable star sprinkles. Since no slicing is involved, this is a great dessert to serve at parties or picnics. (via Brit + Co)

Brit + Co

Black & White Tuxedo Cake

Get pumped for Halloween with our beautiful, bugged out chocolate cake recipe! (via Brit + Co)

A Virtual Vegan

Vegan Chocolate Guinness Cake

Guinness cake?! Oh, we're so in. (via A Virtual Vegan)

Completely Delicious

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

This chocolate cake is made with sour cream, which transforms each bite to be super tender and soft. (via Completely Delicious)

No Eggs Or Ham

Personal Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes

These single-serve chocolate cakes are topped with cinnamon-espresso whipped cream and cayenne dust to create an otherworldly tasting experience. You'll be surprised at just how well the spice works with this recipe's sweetness. (via No Eggs Or Ham)

Earthly Provisions

Single Layer Blueberry Chocolate Cake

Just look at that beautiful blueberry icing! (via Earthly Provisions)

Vikalinka

Chocolate Cake Truffles

Once a chocolate cake recipe turns bite-sized, our cravings run wild. These truffles are easy to make and even easier to customize with toppings of your choice depending on the occasion! (via Vikalinka)

Two Peas & Their Pod

Peppermint Flourless Chocolate Cake

Your next Christmas dessert awaits! (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Feel Good Foodie

Chocolate Mug Cake

We are absolute fiends for mug cakes! This one is nothing but chocolatey, thanks to the easy chocolate batter dotted with many more chocolate chips. (via Feel Good Foodie)

The First Mess

Vegan Chocolate Orange Cakes

These rich mini cakes combine orange juice and orange zest to provide a little bit of a lighter end note to the dark chocolate glaze. (via The First Mess)

Pink Owl Kitchen

Midnight Dark Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

This chocolate cake slathered in peanut butter frosting earns its "midnight" nickname from the rich black cocoa powder that's worked into the decadent batter. (via Pink Owl Kitchen)

The Original Dish

Molten Chocolate Cakes with Coffee & Rose

Coffee and rose are a match made in heaven when you add in a bit of chocolate. (via The Original Dish)

Foolproof Living

Dark Chocolate Waffle Cake

The perfect excuse to break out that waffle maker — and eat cake for breakfast. This pick layers dark chocolate waffles with a mascarpone filling for a unique twist on layer cake. (via Foolproof Living)

How Sweet Eats

Chocolate Frosted Cake Donuts

Homemade cake donuts – chocolate-frosted and sprinkled to perfection – are what we dream about before that alarm goes off in the AM. (via How Sweet Eats)

The Healthy Foodie

Paleo Zucchini Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake recipe is packed with healthy goodness, but trust: you won’t miss any of the decadence. Zucchini, coconut oil and avocado stand in for unhealthy fats to give this recipe its richness. (via The Healthy Foodie)

Averie Cooks

Chocolate Cake Batter Milkshake

Sometimes a girl just needs a giant bowl of cake batter all to herself. This batter-inspired smoothie recipe has all the chocolate flavor you crave. (via Averie Cooks)

Sweetapolita

Six-Layer Malted Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow Cake

Stacks of rich chocolate cake layered between malted Belgian-chocolate frosting and toasted marshmallow filling, this sky-scraping piece of campfire-inspired heaven is truly a masterpiece. (via Sweetapolita)

Style Me Pretty

Chocolate Pansy Cake

With beauty and braun, this pansy-covered chocolate layer cake would be absolutely precious at a tea party or ladies’ lunch. (via Style Me Pretty)

Smitten Kitchen

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Since it has “banana bread” in the title, you have full permission to have this one for breakfast. (via Smitten Kitchen)

Green Kitchen Stories

Banana Almond Chocolate Cake

This simple, wholesome bundt cake has less than 10 ingredients. It’s naturally gluten-free, with no refined sugar or dairy. (via Green Kitchen Stories)

My Baking Addiction

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

This pick shares the secret to a perfectly pink, fluffy raspberry buttercream to slather on your cake (and eat by the spoonful). (via My Baking Addiction)

Which chocolate cake recipes will you be making? Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more delicious desserts!

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Almost a year after her exit from the Scream franchise, Melissa Barrera is opening up about what the experience has taught her. In a conversation about her new movie Your Monster (in theaters now), Melissa exclusively told Brit + Co she feels like a whole different person than she was last year.

After posting about the Palestinian and Israeli conflict in November of 2023, Melissa was fired from Scream 7 (production company Spyglass later told Variety in a statement they believed her comments "[crossed] the line into hate speech.")

  • Melissa Barrera opens up about life after last year's Scream controversy.
  • She says she's "grateful" she "survived" the experience, "and that I'm stronger for it."
  • The actress also reveals she's focusing on how to make the industry and the world "better and safer for everyone."

Brownie Harris/Paramount Pictures

"I definitely feel like a changed person," the In The Heights actress tells B+C. "I definitely feel like my priorities are completely different than they were a year ago. I see the world through different eyes now, I see people through different eyes. I see the industry through different eyes, and I'm so grateful for that."

While the experience — and the fact the experience was so public — was difficult, Melissa says she's come out better on the other side. "I'm so grateful for everything that I went through, even though it was really hard, I'm so grateful that I lived it and that I survived it, and that I'm stronger for it," she continues. "And that I know I have a focus of what I wanna keep doing, not just for me and my career, but like, how can I contribute to the industry and to the world to make it better and safer for everyone?"

- YouTube

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The end of the year brings plenty of reflection, whether you're someone who thrives on journal prompts or you prefer to yap over a bottle of wine with your best friend. But a viral Sundance interview from January, in which Melissa Barrera says the experience with Spyglass started helping her "finally figure out who I'm supposed to be," proves she's been reflecting all year long.

"Everybody's kind of like thinking of like, 'What does the future hold? Like, how do we make it better?' And I have been thinking that for a year," she says. "There's people that have actually been on this journey for way longer, and it's them that we should be thanking for our world not being like over with right now, you know? They're the ones that continue to make changes for the better and to fight for better things for all of us."

Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

After Melissa Barrera's exit from Scream, news broke that Jenna Ortega wouldn't return for the seventh installment. Melissa called Jenna a "good egg" in a January interview with Rolling Stone, and gave Brit + Co some insight into that viral video of the onscreen sisters laughing during Scream 6 press.

"I was so sick during the whole press," she says. "We were laughing because I would start choking on my cough, so it was hilarious — or I would start laughing and it would make me cough and then I couldn't stop. So yeah, we were laughing a lot during that press run because I was sick as a dog."

Okay, I need these two in a sister comedy ASAP.

You can see Melissa Barrera in Your Monster now, and watch Scream and Scream 6 on Paramount+.

I can totally understand falling for a costar. One scene gazing into each other's eyes, and (as the kids say), I'd be asking, "What are we?" Zendaya & Tom Holland and Ashley Park & Paul Forman both met on the sets of their most famous projects (Spider-Man and Emily in Paris, in case you were wondering), and this year's biggest movie event also features a brand new celebrity couple: Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater.

The co-stars made headlines when they ended their respective marriages and started dating each other, and Ethan Slater finally spoke out on the response to their relationship. Here's what he had to say, and the latest news on this couple.

  • Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater met on the set of Wicked, in theaters November 22.
  • The couple made headlines when they started dating the same month they separated from their respective spouses.
  • In a recent interview, Ethan Slater reveals the reaction to their relationship was "really hard."

Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater's Full Relationship Timeline

Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon

Late 2022 — Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Meet While Filming Wicked

After Ariana and Ethan were both cast in Jon M. Chu's Wicked, the movie began filming in early December. Ariana Grande was cast as Glinda, while Ethan Slater got the role of Boq, one of Glinda's Shiz University classmates.

March 27, 2023 — Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Were "All Over Each Other"

Ariana and Ethan reportedly could get enough of each other at Michelle Yeoh's Oscars party. A source told The Daily Mail later that summer that "They were seen making out at a pub in Hampstead, and they were all over each other at Michelle Yeoh's Oscar party."

Aliah Anderson/Getty Images

July 2023 — Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Split From Their Partners And Start Dating

News of Ariana's split from her then-husband Dalton Gomez broke on July 17, while TMZ also reported Ethan filed for divorce from his wife at the time, Lilly Jay, on July 26. (Ariana and Dalton ended up filing for divorce in September).

After People reported Ariana and Ethan were now in a relationship of their own, Lilly told Page Six that “[Ariana’s] the story, really. Not a girl’s girl. My family is just collateral damage.” However, other sources claim Lilly and Ethan had been separated for a couple months before his relationship with Ariana started.

August 2, 2023 — Ethan Slater & Ariana Grande Are Moving Fast

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater reportedly fell head over heels so quickly, their friends were telling them to pump the breaks. “Ariana’s been told it’s too soon to go public with him and to take things slower,” said an Us Weekly insider at the time. “She’s very aware of how she’s perceived by her fans, and she’s trying to be mature. [But] if it were up to her, she’d be seen with him tomorrow.”

Elsa/Getty Images

September 4, 2023 — Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Are Learning How To Balance Their Relationship

Sources told People at the beginning of September that the costars and couple are trying to figure out how to balance their relationship with their celebrity.

“While this entire situation has been blown out of proportion, it’s much different than what has been portrayed in public,” a friend of the couple says. “They are just trying to navigate their new relationship in private."

Another reemphasizes that Ariana and Ethan only started dating after they were separated from their spouses, while a third adds, “They are doing their best to balance the fact that they are in the public eye with the desire to be respectful to all parties involved.”

September 2023 — Ethan Slater & Ariana Grande Go To Disney World

Surrounded by their friends and family, the Wicked movie stars headed for a day at the happiest place on earth. "They went with a big group of friends as well her mom and brother," a source told People. The source also said they're "really happy and really good for each other. All of her friends love him."

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

October 31, 2023 — Ariana Grande Supports Ethan Slater's Spamalot

Ariana Grande showed up to support her boyfriend for Spamalot's opening night at Broadway's St. James Theater.

December 23, 2023 — Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Grab Dinner In New York City

To celebrate the holidays, Ariana and Ethan headed out to a nice Italian dinner, reportedly with Ari's dad Ed Butera. "They love to support each other in their work," a source told People. "When she’s done with work, Ariana loves going to the theater when she can."

Considering she's a musical girlie, and has been on Broadway herself, I totally believe Ariana heads to the theatre whenever she gets a chance!

December 28, 2023 — Ariana Grande Says She Feels "Deeply Misunderstood"

“I’ve never felt more at the mercy of and in acceptance of what life was screaming to teach me,” Ariana Grande said in an Instagram story. “I have never felt more pride or joy or love while simultaneously feeling so deeply misunderstood by people who don’t know me, who piece whispers together and make what they want out of me and their assumptions of my life.”

A source also told People that the popstar is “serious with Ethan. She loves being with him."

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

January 12, 2024 — Ariana Grande Releases "Yes, And?"

In a line heard 'round the world, Ariana Grande's "Yes, And?" (the lead single from her Eternal Sunshine album) begs the question, "Why do you care so much whose d—k I ride?" The song doesn't mention Ethan by name, but there's a lot of room to infer.Although, when the album releases in March, Ariana also talks about a new "interaction" on “Intro (End of the World)," and wonders "if he’s judgin’ me like I am right now."

September 30, 2024 — Ariana Grande Defends Ethan Slater

In a Vanity Fair cover story, Ariana opened up about the reaction to her relationship with Ethan Slater, revealing that “the most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of [the story]."

“There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him,” she says. “No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about. There is no one on this earth with a better heart...I’m 31 years old and I’m not a perfect person, but I am definitely deeply good, and I’m proud of who I’m becoming. I will never let disreputable evil tabloids ruin my life or my perception of what is real and good.”

Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Lucille Lortel Theatre

October 30, 2024 — Ethan Slater Finally Speaks Out About His Relationship With Ariana Grande

Almost two years after meeting Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater finally opened up about their relationship in a new interview with GQ. “Obviously, it was a really super big year and I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public," he says. "There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening, so it’s really hard to see people who don’t know anything about what’s happening commenting on it and speculating, and then getting things wrong about the people you love. So just to address that part of it, that feels really hard."

But the clouds also came with silver linings. “Of course, it was an amazing year and a really beautiful thing, and I’m just really excited," he continues. "I’m just really, really proud of Ari and the work she’s done on this. She’s poured herself into it. I’m really proud that I got to be there for that part of it, and I’m really excited to be there for this next step of it when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did.”

Check back here for the latest news on this Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater's relationship! Read up on Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce while you're at it ;).