A Matter of Perspective

Warm Crab Tartlets.

Some things never change.  I love crabmeat; I have always loved crabmeat.

When I was a little girl, I thought The Red Lobster was the fanciest restaurant on the planet. I mean, only a truly elegant restaurant would offer grown-ups special bibs so their clothes wouldn't get dirty!

Christmas Cookie Lineup & WINNER!

I'm excited to announce, the WINNER of the Bosch Tassimo T20 Coffee Brewer is:

 Comment 150, AKA High Plains Drifters! (Generated by Random.org)

Congratulations HPD! Email me right away with you shipping information.

When All Else Fails~BAKE!

Almond Sandwich Cookies.

I'm trapped in my house due to snow.

No...we don't have white drifts blanketing the landscape like many friends up North. Snow in the Blue Ridge Mountains is a novelty. We see it on the mountain tops. We drive up to it to ski. We even get enough in the valleys to sled once or twice each year. But drive in it? Live functional lives in it?

NO. We don't do that.

Merry Shortbread!

Orange Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread.

I told you I had a thing for shortbread. While nibbling any cookie, I think to myself, "You know what would make this even better? More butter and a touch of salt!" In my mind, chocolate chip cookies would be better as crispy shortbread. Oatmeal cookies would taste better if they had more butter and less (meaning NO) eggs. Macaroons...yep, they are in desperate need of butter.

Kitchen Invaders Detoured

Apple-Cheddar Palmiers.

I often feel like a military commander in my kitchen, on the day of a holiday dinner party. Barking orders, protecting the sacred cargo, holding down the fort from invaders.  

Catch The Spirit!

Dulce de Leche and Nutella Thumbprints with Sea Salt.

I'm that girl. The one who can barely wait until after Thanksgiving dinner to crank UP the Christmas music. The one who pulls out the Christmas boxes the moment the Thanksgiving dishes are put away. The one who allows the kids to decorate the tree, then rearranges it after they've gone to bed. I can't help myself.

Gratitude

Chai Latte Cupcakes.

I have a lot the be thankful for. No, I'm not a prodigy in any area. I'm not famous. I don't drive a Bentley or have spare homes in exotic lands. I'm not dripping with jewels and my closet is surprisingly small. There are mornings I wake up and sigh at the potential monotony of life. There are days I argue with my husband on purpose. I get impatient with my little guys at times. I'm a regular girl/wife/mom with regular problems.

Kickin' Cranberries!

Pom-Apple Cranberry Relish.

Adding a simple twist to classic dishes can really give your Thanksgiving meal an appealing BOOST! Take cranberry sauce for instance... As a little girl I remember it being something that slide out of a can in a jiggling gelatinous mass (sorry mom for tattling). On a good year, whole cranberries were simmered on the stove to create a flavorful, yet mushy jelly.

Count Down to Thanksgiving

Twice Baked Bourbon-Hazelnut Sweet Potatoes.

Thanksgiving can be a little overwhelming for first time hosts. Heck, Thanksgiving can cause anxiety in award-winning chefs...don't feel bad if the thought of it gives you hives!  Here are some helpful tips to get you off on the right track: