Some days the rhythm of life can be comforting to the soul. When the calendar and the season play a rhythm that sounds something like “same time next year”your heart skips a beat and yes, smiles. Traditions this time of year are the fabric of life. Such is the annual Culinary Cookbook Club cookie exchange.

I’ve written about the cookbook club that I belong to before. We can’t seem to agree how long we have been meeting, but my best guess is going on 20 years. [Read more…]

What a fun and busy time. I love holidays and all of the celebrations and traditions. Right now, my kitchen is stuffed with the fixings for the Thanksgiving feast and at the same time, I am already baking for Christmas. Am I confused? No, it’s just that I try to pack all of the fun, family and festivities I can into this short holiday time.

Thanksgiving is here. I am so grateful—for the family, friends, food and love that will soon gather at my table. I am grateful to work with Roxanne, my dear friend! I am blessed to work with her! I speak for both of us when I say we are grateful we can share our love of food and family with you! We are thankful we can share our focus on the family dinner table and hope that our recipes and tips make your kitchen time a little easier and tastier. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! [Read more…]

It happened just like clock work. The calendar pages blew off my desk with hurricane gust winds. Yep, the days, they are a flying by…..don’t blink.

The holidays for all practical purposes are here. Start getting extra zzzzz’s each night, roll up your sleeves and enjoy the season. If you haven’t had an old fashioned cookie exchange for a while, this is the year.

Read tips on how to host a cookie exchange on the Kansas City Star’s Chow Town Blog. If apricot cookies aren’t you favorite then I would like to suggest your make these luscious Lemon Kiss Cookies. You can get the recipe here.

It would be great fun if you would share your favorite recipe. I always enjoy baking Christmas cookies and I need to begin now! How about you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promise me that I am not the only one who makes baking decisions based on not wanting to go to the grocery store. A game that I often play with myself is, “What Can I Bake With What I Have?” Now granted, since cooking is my business, I have to fess up that my pantry and stockpile could last for days and days before I would “have” to go to the market, but never-the-less, I enjoy the challenge of creating recipes with what is on hand.

I needed to bake a sweet treat for a friend in need and wanted to use some of those 45 jars of strawberry jam that I had processed earlier in the season and I did not want to make a trip to the grocery story for additional ingredients. Thus began the creation of Strawberry Shortbread Bars. [Read more…]

 

You know you love it. What is not to love about the colorful, sweet and crunchy candy cookie? M & M’s can brighten any day and in my book when you add these bits of candy to cookies…voila! Success!

Our daughter’s church youth choir recently sold cookies at an event that had over 1800 attending. [Read more…]