musings, mutterings, and creative muddle. . .





Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Snickerdoodle - y Delicious!

I adore Snickerdoodles and have (what I consider) a pretty awesome recipe in an old recipe book my Mom gave me.  It is a 'Cooking for Two' cookbook she received as a wedding gift in 1966 and one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. . . once I learned how to double the recipes (ha!)

My daughter is always on the hunt for new recipes and came across a new twist on my all-time favorite cookie - Eggnog Snickerdoodles. 

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Frost on the First Day of Winter

My friend, the Dearest Miss Kris, has a most lovely tradition.  Each December 21st she sends this Robert Frost poem to her friends and family.  In this same spirit,  I'm sharing it with all of you - my friends and family.




Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening


Friday, December 17, 2010

Christmas Trimmings. . .

I LOVE decorating. . . I'm constantly acquiring and tweaking and moving around and trading out and getting rid of and, well. . . Decorating:-)

Christmas is always a fun time to decorate.  It's more than just trimming the tree to me.  Pulling out those decorations from years past - with all their memories attached is very special.  The metal presents that reside on the front porch were found one year when the children and I were out shopping for their annual Christmas ornaments.  The little birdies on my studio TV base are my most recent acquisition and came the from the beautiful store where my daughter works.  We arrived for a visit just right as the store was closing so we had a 'private' shopping spree. . . so special!

So, don't just stand there on the sidewalk waving. . .

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Eggnog Cheesecake - Birthday Style

We have a Birthday tradition in my house.  Each child gets to pick their cake for their special day (you did notice I said 'kid', right.  Yes, this leaves Hubster and myself out. . . well. . . sort of  - ha!). 


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Shrimply Delicious!

We went out to eat the Saturday night before Thanksgiving and ordered some very tasty shrimp.  I couldn't eat all of mine so brought them home with no real plans in place. . . I just knew I couldn't leave them behind.  Until I was thumbing through a magazine and caught sight of a Shrimp Louis Slider recipe.  "Hmmmm. . . "  I thought, "what a great concept."

Not being much of  a 'slider' (that's a little sandwich with special sauce) fan, I took it a little different direction and modified the recipe to be Shrimp Cakes - as in Crab Cakes.  And, manomanoman, were they ever delicious! 

Thursday, December 2, 2010

This Ain't Your Mama's Potato Soup. . .

Hubster can come up with the most intriguing of recipes, and, thank goodness (!) most of them are amazingly delicious!

I mean, think about potato soup, for instance.  When Hubster said he had a potato soup recipe he wanted to try, I just mentally shrugged. . . thinking of a thin, kind of grainy, bland, salty soup in my bowl.   Yes.  I was less than enthusiastic about taking photos for the blog. . .Especially when he tried to further convince me by telling me that spinach was one of the ingredients.  Really?!?

Well. . . that was BEFORE I tasted the soup.



Wednesday, December 1, 2010

All Spiced Up & Mulling It Over

When we talk about The Holiday Season around here - we automatically think of food. . . Eating it. . . making it. . . sharing it. . . Food!  Food!  Food!



But, even more basic than the food are the ingredients and, namely, the spices.