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I am not a great user of convenience foods, but there’s no disputing the fact that they can simultaneously make life easy and delicious. This is an adaptation of a recipe that I found online. Prior to making these I hadn’t had a refrigerated crescent roll in more than a decade. I must say that they have improved over the years. This is a roll that is so tasty that I had a hard time stopping at two alongside my bowl of vegetable soup. They are easy to make, and I guarantee the entire family is going to love the cheesy goodness. Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls 1 8-oz.can refrigerated crescent rolls 4 T. butter, melted 1 t. Melissa’s minced garlic 1 t. Italian seasoning 4 mozzarella string cheeses, cut in half Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Separate and unroll crescent rolls and brush with garlic butter, reserving a bit to brush the tops. Place a piece of string cheese at the larger end and roll up dough. Brush tops with garlic butter. Bake until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy! NOTE: I reheated these with great success in the air fryer. I stored them, covered, in the refrigerator, and then reheated at 340°F for about five minutes. They weren’t exactly the same as fresh from the oven, but good nonetheless. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

Obviously, I set lot of tables, and generally have a fairly easy time of it, but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, I’m always a bit stumped. Valentine’s Day is just not my holiday. Not because my sweetie has passed on to that big Valentine’s Day heart in the sky, but because my mother was the one who used to host the Valentine’s Day dinner every year and I suppose, because I never did it myself, my interest was a bit lacking. That said, I don’t like to see the holiday go unobserved in this household, so decided to put together a table for two that is bit bolder than those I have created in the past. I took a cue from my Chinese New Year and went with red, black, and gold. Black is not a color that one would generally associate with Valentine’s Day, but it does look quite striking here. The table covering is a bit of yardage that I inherited when my mother passed away. She was quite the seamstress, had a huge supply of fabric, and, despite the fact that I don’t sew, I had to have it all. On top of the polka-dotted table covering are round black placemats that are then topped with bold, red chargers that are encircled by a bit of raised rhinestone bling. On top of the chargers are square black plates on top of which I have placed white heart-shaped salad plates. On top of those are sweet red heart-shaped soup or casserole dishes complete with matching lids. I believe I got these from Joanne about four years ago, but I’m not 100% sure. The goblets are among my favorites and are from Villeroy & Boch, the gold flatware you’ve seen many times. I chose rustic candlestick holders for the center of the table, and after trying a number of different types of candles, decided on the metallic gold to complement the flatware. The napkins are handmade out of Valentine fabric; the black cappuccino cup finishes off the place setting. To add a bit of interest to the table, and break up the monotony of all those tiny little polka dots, I have scattered Valentine cards that my mother collected over the years. Whatever you have planned for your day, I hope it’s sweet, and that I have been able to provide you with a tiny bit of inspiration to aid you in setting a romantic table. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

Last week I saw this picture going around on social media. It, more than anything else, has summed up 2024 for me thus far. I don’t think I have ever experienced such consistently dismal weather, or such a lengthy, personal funk as I have this past month. I don’t know how it’s been for the rest of you, but I am really looking forward to spring, or, at the very least, putting January behind me. The other day I was embracing my funk, spending most of it just wandering aimlessly around the house, stopping occasionally to stare out a window. I had no idea what I was going to fix for dinner, and frankly I didn’t care. What I did know was that I needed to eat, and I wanted something that was the absolute apex of comfort. I happened to be scrolling through Facebook and came upon a posting by Kevin from Closet Kitchen that featured this recipe. I had never heard of macaroni and cheese soup, but I was 100% on board. With a rerun of Midsomer Murders playing in the background, I put this together and enjoyed it for a late supper. I have to tell you that this improved my entire day. Mac and Cheese Soup As seen on closetcooking.com ¼ c. butter 1 c. diced onions 1 c. diced carrots 1 c. diced celery 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ t. ground mustard ¼ c. flour 6 c. chicken broth 2 c. elbow macaroni 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg ½ c. heavy cream 3 c. cheddar cheese, shredded Cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste Steps Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and mustard, sprinkle on the flour, mix, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth, macaroni and nutmeg, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the macaroni is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and cheese, mix, and let the cheese melt into the sauce. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! Option: Add 1 diced jalapeno with the onions, celery, carrots. Option: Use your favorite mac and cheese cheese(s): cheddar, Monterey jack, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, etc. Option: Add crumbled blue cheese. Option: Add 1 t. Worcestershire sauce. Option: Add hot sauce to taste. Option: Add sliced green onion. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

Who doesn’t love a good meatball? Whether they’re served as a main dish or an appetizer, meatballs always seem to be crowd pleasers. I like them so well that, with the posting of this recipe, I will have an even dozen different varieties featured on this blog. These pineapple meatballs are unique in that pineapple is a key ingredient, making them tangy and delicious. I served these as a main dish on top of Hawaiian sticky rice with a side of peas, and it was a delicious meal. Pineapple Meatballs For the Meatballs: 1 lb. ground chuck ½ c. plain bread crumbs 1 extra large egg 1 T. dried minced onions 1 t. hot sauce ¼ c. whole milk ½ t. salt ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper ¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg For the Sauce: 1 T. oil 1/3 c. finely chopped onion ½ green bell pepper, chopped ½ t. salt 1/3 c. ketchup 2 T. cider vinegar ½ t. cornstarch 1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple in syrup (reserve syrup) For the Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all meatball ingredients together in a large bowl. Form into small meatballs according to your size preference. Place meatballs on a foil or Silpat-lined balking sheet and bake for 40 minutes if large, or 20 minutes if small. For the Sauce: In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, green pepper, and salt. Cook until tender. In a small bowl, combine ketchup and vinegar, mix well. Add to skillet. In another small bowl, whisk together reserved pineapple syrup and cornstarch. Add to skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Stir in crushed pineapple, and simmer for 3 minutes.Add meatballs and cook until heated through. Put into a serving bowl, garnish with green onions, and serve. Makes 10 large meatballs or 20 appetizer meatballs. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

There are days, particularly cold and rainy days like today, where I welcome a Crockpot meal. Recently I ran across this recipe to make chicken divan in the slow cooker, and I had to give it a try. This was the first time that I had ever seen a slow cooker recipe for chicken divan, so naturally, I was curious. It was also the first time I’d seen curry powder used in the making, and I must say I liked it a good deal. There is really nothing easier than this. Yes, it does contain a can of condensed soup, and I know that condensed soup is not all that good for you, but there are days when I’m willing to take the trade off in order to gain time to do something else. I served mine with wild rice, and it was a wonderful meal. Slow Cooker Chicken Divan Slightly adapted from cooktopcove.com 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Montreal Chicken Seasoning 4 cups fresh broccoli florets 1 10.5-oz. can cream of chicken soup 1/3 c. Duke’s mayonnaise 1/3 c. sour cream 1 t. fresh lemon juice 1½ c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided ½ t. curry powder Salt and pepper to taste Buttered breadcrumbs for topping Spray the interior of your slow cooker with PAM. Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and season them with copious amounts of Montreal Chicken Seasoning and freshly ground black pepper. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, curry powder, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Spread this mixture evenly over the chicken. Place broccoli florets on top of the chicken and sauce mixture, pressing down lightly. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is tender. Once cooked, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top and cover for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese melts. For a crunchy topping, you can briefly broil buttered breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the dish just before serving. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I don’t know about the rest of you, but as soon as the holidays are over, I want simple food. I want food that is easy to make and easy to eat. Nothing fancy, nothing on a skewer, nothing with colored sugar, the simpler the better. In most cases, this generally means meatloaf, but I was feeling more like meatballs this year, and looking for the easiest possible way to make them. These oven-baked meatballs were the answer. There’s nothing to putting them together, I used an ice cream scoop to measure them out, and in no time they were in the oven baking while I put my pasta water on to boil. Believe it or not, it was a 30-minute meal.Oven Baked Meatballs 1 lb. ground chuck ½ c. Italian breadcrumbs ¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ small yellow onion, grated 2 T. marinara sauce 1 T. dry red wine 1 T. Italian seasoning ½ t. kosher salt ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper 1 large egg, slightly beaten Preheat oven to 375°F. Line an edged baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients EXCEPT ground chuck. Once that is thoroughly combined, add the beef, and mix well with your hands. I find I’m most comfortable doing this when wearing kitchen gloves. Use an ice cream scoop to portion the meat out, roll into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through. Remove and transfer to sauce or serve immediately. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I have a thing for olives, I just cannot resist them. As a consequence, I have an entire shelf in one of my kitchen cabinets filled with a wide variety. While I do enjoy a pimento-stuffed olive, I particularly enjoy those stuffed with garlic, jalapeño, or blue cheese. I have black olives, Kalamata olives, queen olives, stuffed olives, olive medleys, and olives that have no filled centers at all. I like to use them in all kinds of recipes, and find they never let me down. I have added them to dressing that I have stuffed into a turkey, to a vinaigrette that I tossed with fresh lettuce, included them in the dough when I made biscuits, and when I found this recipe online, I had to make it. It made me wonder why I hadn’t thought of using olives in a vegetable dip before, but having now done so, will make it again and again. This is so tasty! Not just due to the olives, but the acidity of the lemon juice gives it excellent flavor as well. This would be great on your Super Bowl buffet, make a wonderful spring and summer snack, or a light lunch by spreading it on toast points or crackers. Cream Cheese Olive Dip Slightly adapted from Hearth and Vine 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature ½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise 1 clove garlic 1 t. minced onion ½ t. dried thyme ½ t. kosher salt 2 T. fresh lemon juice 12 small olives 2 dashes Tabasco sauce Combine all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until well blended. Scrape down the sides and blend again. Spoon into a bowl and serve with a variety of fresh cut up vegetables. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

How did the holidays turn out for you? Ultimately, mine were reasonably good although they didn’t turn out entirely as anticipated. Due to illness, the dinner that I made for Christmas Eve was only enjoyed by my son and me. It was a pretty fancy dinner for just the two of us, but I think we really enjoyed not just the food, but the time that we spent together in such elegant surroundings. I sent him home with plenty of food, but I still had a good bit of ham left, as well as the ham bone. I set the bone aside to use in pea soup, used slices in casseroles and sandwiches, and decided to toss what was left into the food processor for ham salad. Generally, when I make ham salad I use sweet pickle relish, but because I had gotten a glazed ham that had a lot of its own sweetness, I decided to replace the sweet pickle relish for olives. It made a wonderful difference! Olive Ham Salad ¾ lb. piece of baked ham, cut into chunks 1 rib celery, cut into fourths 1 scallion, cut in half 10 small pimiento-stuffed olives 1/3 c. Duke’s mayonnaise 1 t. Dijon mustard Few gratings ground black pepper Put all ingredients into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until. Cover and chill for at least a Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving to allow flavors to meld. This will keep up to three days, covered and refrigerated. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

If you are in need of a last-minute appetizer, would like to plan for some point in the future, or are looking for a wonderful accompaniment to soup or salad, these toasted cheese rounds are your answer. They are simple to put together, contain ingredients that you likely already have on hand, and are golden bits of cheesy deliciousness.  Guests will love them, and gobble up these cheesy comestibles like there’s no tomorrow. You just may want to make a double batch. Toasted Cheese Rounds 1 c. Duke's mayonnaise 1 c. grated mozzarella 1 c. grated sharp cheddar 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese Pinch of garlic powder Pinch of dry mustard Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 scallions, minced 40 ½" thick slices of French baguette Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment or a Silpat; set aside. Place all ingredients (except the bread) into a medium bowl, and mix to combine. Dollop a bit of a generous amount of cheese mixture onto one side of each slice of the bread rounds, place cheese side up on your prepared baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. NOTE: These can be prepared ahead of time and frozen for use at some point in the future. Freeze them on a baking tray until solid. Then remove from breaking tray and place in a zipper top freezer bag to until ready to use. To bake from frozen add five minutes to baking time. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

If you’re looking for something both festive and memorable to serve on New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day, this very well could be your answer. I made this to serve as dessert on Boxing Day, and people gobbled it up. It’s referred to as a trifle, but my impression was more that it was a layered dessert rather than a trifle, because, in my experience, trifles are more custard-y than this one that has layers of brownies, separated by peppermint cheesecake. It’s unique and showy; and elements can be made ahead of time prior to assembly. I encourage you to make this 2 to 3 days prior to serving. Peppermint Brownie Trifle For the Brownie Layer 1 c. butter ½ c. dark cocoa powder 4 large eggs 2 c. sugar 2 t. vanilla extract 1 t. kosher salt 1½ c. flour ½ t. baking powder For the Cheesecake Layer 2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature ½ c. powdered sugar 1 t. vanilla extract ½ t. peppermint extract 2½ c. Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips, divided 2 t. shortening 3 T. whole milk 2½ c. heavy whipping cream, whipped, divided Andes Peppermint Crunch candy bars Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9” x 13” pan with Baker’s Joy. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Let cool slightly. Beat the eggs until light colored. Add the sugar and extracts and beat again. Stir in ¼ cup of butter/cocoa mixture quickly. Add the rest of the butter mixture and beat again. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly beat into the wet mixture in the bowl. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Do not over bake. Remove and let cool. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and extracts until light and creamy. Set aside. Place 1½ cups Andes peppermint chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir and heat again if needed until creamy. Pour into cream cheese mixture and beat until mixed in. Fold in 1 cup of the whipped cream and ½ cup Andes chips. Cut the brownies into 1” squares. Place half the brownies in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top with half of the peppermint cheesecake. Repeat layers. Cover the top with 1 cup of whipped cream and top with more Andes chips. Pipe the remaining whipped cream around the edges with a piping bag and icing tip #21. Top with Andes Peppermint Crunch candy bars. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until serving. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

It's time for my year-end wrap-up featuring the 10 most popular posts of 2023 The number one most popular blog post this year, and it is not even close, was the King’s Hawaiian Cheesecake Danish. I got more hits on that one post than I did on the entire blog for the last two years. One might say it went a bit viral. Those rolls are good, and they’re easy to make, so if you haven’t tried them, you might consider it. Another thing that really surprised me was the fact that tablescape posts were more popular than food posts. I’m not sure what this tells me about the direction in which I should be heading next year, but I definitely need to give this some thought. Thanks to all of you who visit my blog, I really appreciate having you here. To see the blog post and recipe or tablescape associated with each of these pictures (shown in descending order of popularity), click on the title below the photo and it will take you directly to the post. Happy viewing, and have a wonderful New Year! King’s Hawaiian Cheesecake Danish Ruth's Chris Chopped Salad Copycat Shades of Autumn Tablescape When life gives you lemons...Set a Table! Sizzling Summer Tablescape Dirty Martini Dip Lunching with Lapins Planning for Spring Tablescape King’s Hawaiian Lemon Cheesecake Danish Dinner in the Vineyard Tablescape To view previous Top Ten Lists click one or more of the follow links: Top Posts of 2022 Top Posts of 2021 Top Posts of 2020 Top Posts of 2019 Top Posts of 2018 Top Posts of 2017 Top Posts of 2016 Top Posts of 2015 Top Posts of 2014 Top Posts of 2013 Top Posts of 2012 View the full article

I mentioned last week that I have been going through old recipes. This is one that I had cut out of the newspaper back in 2019. I happen to be a fan of tomato soup – all kinds – so I am never one to pass up a new recipe. This was published in the food section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 24, 2019, in the “Special Request” column wherein people ask for recipes for dishes that they’ve enjoyed at local restaurants. Some restaurants participate, others don’t. This recipe is from an establishment called The Country Club Bar and Grill. I’ve never been there, so I can’t say if the end result is as good as what they offer in the restaurant, but it was certainly tasty. I found this recipe to be a rather interesting one in its assemblage (if that’s the right word) of the soup. I had to wonder why they warmed up the half-and-half and troubled themselves to temper it when they could have just as easily used heavy cream (that requires no tempering) and skip that step. Nonetheless, I tend to stick to the recipe as written the first time I make something. As in most cases, I found the soup was better the second day. I also found that a tiny squeeze of lemon juice brightens the flavor a little bit, so I served mine with a little lemon wedge on the side. Tomato Basil Soup The Country Club Bar and Grill 2 to 3 c. water 6 c. premium marinara sauce* 2 c. half-and-half 3 T. chopped fresh purple basil ¼ c. plus 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese 3 T. granulated garlic Kosher salt to taste 6 T. finely chopped leaves of flat-leaf Italian parsley 6 T. shredded pecorino Place the water in an instant kettle or in a small pot on the stove and heat to a boil. Maintain it at a low simmer. While the water heats, pour the marinara sauce into a 4- or 5-quart saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to bubble. Reduce heat to medium low. Place the half-and-half in a small mixing bowl. Temper the half-and-half by adding ¾- to 1-cup of hot sauce, stirring slowly until it incorporates. This step prevents the soup from curdling. Slowly pour the tempered half-and-half into the hot sauce, stirring as you pour. Add the chopped basil and granulated garlic into the soup. Stir thoroughly, down to the bottom of the pot. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir well, scraping the bottom and the sides of the pan. Add hot water gradually to the hot soup, ½ cup at a time, stirring down to the bottom, until the desired consistency is reached. You will probably not use all of the water but keep it at the ready to add if needed. For the test, we added 2 cups total. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, down to the bottom and around the edges. Taste. Add salt if needed. Remove from the burner to a warm place, cover and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Top with chopped parsley and grated pecorino. Yield: 6 servings *I used Rao’s Tomato Basil. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

I am not a member of Costco, ergo I didn’t realize that they had their own signature mac and cheese that, indisputably, everyone seems to enjoy. The copycat recipe has been making the rounds on the Web lately and, as I never turn down mac and cheese, was eager to give this a try. I must say that it sold me with the inclusion of five different cheeses, resulting in a complex flavor along with a rich and creamy texture. I think this is the best mac and cheese that I have ever tasted. It will go swimmingly with Christmas ham.Copycat Costco Mac and Cheese 1 lb. cavatappi pasta 1 T. olive oil 1/2 c. butter 1/2 c. flour 1 c. heavy cream 3 c. whole milk 3-1/2 c. grated white cheddar cheese 2 c. Gruyere cheese 3/4 c. Romano cheese 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese 1/2 c. medium cheddar cheese 1/2 T. kosher salt 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper ¼ t. paprika ¼ t. garlic powder 1/8 t. freshly ground nutmeg ½ c. panko 2 T. butter, melted Preheat the oven to 375°F. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the cavatappi and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. In a large saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk well, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the cream and milk, whisking continuously, until smooth and completely combined. Remove from heat and stir in all cheeses as well as the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Once the cheese has melted, fold in cavatappi. Pour into a 9” x 13” baking dish. Stir together panko and melted butter, and sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately. NOTE: The original recipe did not call for a panko topping, but I tend to like that sort of thing on top of baked mac and cheese. Use it or don’t. I cut the recipe in half and it turned put beautifully. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

Christmas isn’t Christmas without the traditional colors of red and green. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Nothing says Christmas more than this table. Not only because of the color combination, but because these beautiful bone china dishes in the “Yuletide” pattern by Rosina-Queens once belonged to my mother. I’m not entirely sure when she bought this set, but she bought service for 12, with all of the completer pieces, and used those to serve her Christmas brunch every year after she made that purchase. They go back to at least the 80s, maybe earlier. When she passed away, it was such an honor to bring these to my home.In addition to the dinnerware, the adorable little ceramic baskets with Holly leaves and red berries were hers as well. She used to place a truffle, or other delicious bit of chocolate in each one at each place setting.The mercury glass ornament place card holders belonged to her too, as well as the gold flatware; the woman set a beautiful table. My contributions to this table besides the hunter green tablecloth and gauzy runner are the wonderful placemats that I bought from Pier 1 years ago. Just setting them on the table makes it feel like Christmas. The napkins are from Pottery Barn, as are the little reindeer votives. The red goblets are from Villeroy and Boch. The centerpiece is a simple hurricane with a candle and a small wreath. When you have such beautiful dinnerware, a simple centerpiece is all that you need.I’ll be thinking of my mother, and her legendary brunches, when I dine at this table during the coming week. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have a lot of recipes, and I have them everywhere. I have books full of bookmarks and Post-it notes, recipe boxes bursting at the seams, files overloaded with printed out recipes, as well as seven different labeled folders in my email. The other day I thought it might be a good idea to clean out one of my email folders, and came across this recipe that I had saved more than a decade ago. As luck would have it, the place where I shop had eye of round roast on sale this week, so I decided to give it a try. I have to confess, I wasn’t expecting much. In fact, it took a great deal of strength to shove a $20 roast into a 500° oven with nothing other than a thin coating of dry seasoning. Much to my surprise, it turned out to be delicious. It reminded me quite a bit of the roast dinners that we used to get Sundays in our local pub when we were living in Oxford. For the sake of nostalgia, I served mine with roasted potatoes and two veg. It was an easy meal to put together, a wonderful bit of nostalgia, and tasty to boot. I will be making French Dip Beef Sandwiches later in the week. Yum! Poor Man's Prime Rib 3 lb. beef eye of round roast 1 t. garlic powder 1 t. onion powder Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Preheat the oven to 500°F. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub thoroughly into the meat and place roast into a roasting pan or baking dish. Do not cover or add water. Place the roast in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 475°F. Roast for 21 minutes (seven minutes per pound), turn off the oven, and let the roast sit in the hot oven for 2½ hours. Do not open the door at all during this time! Remove the roast from the oven (the internal temperature should have reached at least 145°F). Carve into thin slices to serve. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

By now, you, my faithful readers, are well aware that I am a big fan of pimiento cheese. Recently, I received a wonderful pimiento cheese bowl for my birthday. The bowl is from the fabulous Mud Pie, and I am totally in love with it (as I am with all of their products). Yes, I have tried the recipe illustrated on the side of the bowl, but today I was feeling a little spicy. I was interested in trying a white variety of pimiento cheese, which got me thinking about white barbecue sauce. So I combined ingredients that would normally be present in pimiento cheese along with a few other ingredients that would be found in white Carolina barbecue sauce, and thus Carolina White Pimiento Cheese was born. It’s a zesty winner! Carolina White Pimiento Cheese 1 8-oz. block white cheddar cheese, grated 2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature ½ c. chopped Melissa’s Fire Roasted Red Peppers 3 T. Duke’s mayonnaise 1 T. apple cider vinegar 1 t. Worcestershire sauce 1 t. brown mustard 1 t. horseradish 1 t. fresh lemon juice Pinch cayenne Pinch paprika Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Place above ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Using a fork, combine ingredients thoroughly. Turn out into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for at least four hours to meld flavors. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

Don’t you hate those articles that tell you what’s “in” and what’s “out?” I am not a violent person, but oftentimes I want to punch the writers of such articles right in the face. Earlier this month I read that what’s “out” for this holiday season is traditional colors. Now, as you can see from this table setting, I did not use traditional colors, but this is a table for two that I enjoy on my own. The big table that’s going to hold Christmas Eve dinner is going to be all kinds of red and green. These are the dishes that I told you about in this post. It was more challenging than I anticipated to create a table around them because they are not traditional colors, nor are they colors that I generally embrace; I struggled a bit to put it together. It took a decent amount of experimenting before I ended up with this particular setting, and I’m quite pleased. A hunter green tablecloth provides the base. It is draped with a gauzy runner providing a bit of soft elegance. Simple wicker placemats hold the plate stack that consists of aqua chargers, and Lenox “Balsam Lane” dinner and salad plates. Mini covered cupcake stands on top of each salad plate worked perfectly to hold a dinner roll. The mug is from the same dinnerware pattern as is the salt and pepper set; the water glasses, Villeroy and Boch, the crystal is “Gallia” by Rogaska. I wasn’t sure that teal napkins would work here, but they did, and I like them. The gold flatware and metallic gold tapers were used in order to pick up the gold stars in the dinnerware. The candlestick holders are antiques that the late Mr. O-P bought me about 20 years ago. I still love them. The snowflake votive candle holders are from Crate and Barrel years ago.The centerpiece that I rather like in its simplicity, I can’t tell you a thing about. I’m not sure just where I got the reindeer with the removable wooden bowl, or the colorful potpourri that I used inside it. The champagne bucket is a new acquisition and a big favorite. I never knew how much I wanted one of these until I got one. Now it holds juice, champagne, wine, you name it. These dishes are not specifically Christmas, so will be able to carry me into February until I bring out red and white. I hope you enjoy this different color palette for Christmas, and remember that no matter what is “in” or what is “out,” do as you please. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday View the full article

The sentiment on the plate in the photo above is one on which the vast majority seems to focus. It is a time of worship, friends and family, lights, songs, festivity, giggling and excited children, when the world is a glittering wonder. But…what if it isn’t? I don’t know the statistics, but based upon my own observations, my guess is that this is the month of the year where sufferers of depression feel that low more acutely than in any other. This is the time of the year when you are reminded not only of what you have, but what you have lost, and the importance of what you’ve lost. It’s an annual reminder that you are never again going to taste the deliciousness that was your mother’s annual Christmas brunch. You are never again going to sit in front of the fireplace in your footed pajamas cracking walnuts with your dad. You will never again be invited to share in the Hanukkah celebration of dear friends. The late Mr. O-P and I used to socialize with two other couples about whom we felt most dear. Of those six people, I am the only one left. This month, more than ever, we miss the friends who are no longer around to celebrate or console us. When you go forth with your holiday baking, shopping, decorating, or getting lost in your perusals of Pinterest and Instagram, keep the people who may be suffering in mind. Even the tiniest gesture or kind word can make a big difference in how they get through this most significant of all months. Don’t just think about it, do it now. Send an email, send a text, make a phone call, send a card. You can make a big difference in someone’s day. You may even save a life. Pattie View the full article

It’s nice, I think, to have some tasty side dishes to serve with those inevitable ham or turkey sandwiches that appear at the conclusion of Christmas. I’m having my big dinner on Christmas Eve, so you can bet ham sandwiches are going to be on the menu for Christmas Day, accompanied by a scoop of this pasta salad. I like side dishes that are flavorful, easy to put together, and most importantly, make ahead. This fills the bill in all cases. It’s my version of the popular Amish Pasta Salad, wherein I substitute orecchiette pasta, to catch more of that delicious dressing, as well as chopped scallions for their mildness and to add green to the salad, in place of the chopped green pepper, that I didn’t care for here. My opinion is that the dressing for this would go equally well over potatoes to make potato salad, so you may want to double up on that. Amish Pasta Salad 16 oz. Orecchiette pasta 3 T. sweet pickle relish ½ t. garlic powder ½ t. celery seeds 1½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise ½ c. sour cream ¼ c. sugar 3 T. yellow mustard 2 t. apple cider vinegar 5 hardboiled eggs, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 4 scallions, chopped ½ c. chopped Melissa’s roasted red bell peppers Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse. In a medium bowl, whisk together relish, garlic powder, celery seeds, mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. In a large bowl place pasta, eggs, celery, scallions, roasted red peppers, and stir to combine. Pour dressing over all; fold to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Chill until ready to serve. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

It has become a bit of a tradition here on the blog to share my annual Christmas card. I have been making my own for the past six years now. Selecting the picture for the front is always enjoyable. In the past I have used a picture of my own. This year’s card features a picture from Nigella's Christmas Cookbook. I thought that it was most appropriate for the recipe that I chose to use on the inside. I have as much fun with the back of the card as I do the front. Stanley makes an appearance decked out in holiday attire. I enjoyed using him on my Halloween card, so couldn’t resist putting a Santa hat on his head for this one. I put as much if not more work on the envelopes as I do the card itself. This year I bought a couple Christmas sets of Tim Holtz stamps, and had a bit of difficulty getting the ink coverage that I was hoping for. Nonetheless, I’m sure they will brighten the mailboxes of all the recipients. If you’d like to take a look at what I’ve done in the past, here are cards from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

This is for adults only because of the brandy but, believe me, you’re not going to want to share anyway. The combination of brandy, cherries, and chocolate is absolute heaven! It is dense, creamy, delicious, and perfect for the holiday season. It would make a fabulous host or hostess gift if you can bear to part with it.Brandy Cherry Fudge 1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa's Dried Tart Cherries 2 T. brandy 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk 2½ c. semisweet chocolate chips ¼ c. slivered almonds Line an 8" x 8" pan with foil, allowing a 2" tail on either end for easy lifting. Soak cherries in brandy for 30 minutes. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips. Microwave on high for 1½ minutes. Remove and stir until smooth. Stir in almonds and cherries in brandy. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate until firm, 1½ - 2 hours. Remove from pan, slice into 1" squares and serve. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

You are going to love this pasta dish! It is perfect for the holidays because it is so colorful, plus it’s made in one pot, and is ready in 30 minutes. It’s meatless, so can be served to your vegetarian friends, and works as either a starter course or a main dish. Honestly, I felt festive just eating it. It’s not often that you can have a dish that is so easy to prepare, doesn’t require a lot of cooking equipment, is tasty, and colorful.Christmas Pasta 1 T. olive oil 4 oz. thinly sliced mushrooms 1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic 8 oz. linguine 2 T. butter 2 c. homemade chicken stock 1 c. whole milk ¼ t. freshly ground black pepper ½ c. chopped Melissa’s roasted red bell peppers ½ 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained ½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Toss in mushrooms, stirring until softened, then add garlic, and stir for one minute more. Add pasta, butter, chicken stock, milk, pepper, red peppers, and spinach. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, put the lid on the pan, and set the timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes are up, remove the lid, sprinkle Parmesan on top of the pasta and toss until the cheese is melted. Serve. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

This is another recipe from Thanksgiving, and you’re going to need to refer to my posting for Monday of this week to understand why the photos aren’t the best. Essentially I was frantic, I had company, and this was the best I could do. I am not a fan of pie of any kind, so instead of sticking with the traditional pumpkin (I don’t like it at all) or pecan (my late dad’s favorite and one I’ll tolerate), I decided to go in a completely different direction and make a pecan cream pie. It was very good. But, this is less about the pie than it is about the crust. I decided that I wanted to make a graham cracker crust not realizing that I didn’t have graham crackers. What I did have, however, was a package of those windmill cookies. I love those things and have done since my youth. So this pie has a windmill cookie crust. My son loved it so much that he said he will never make a graham cracker crust again. Here’s the recipe for both pie and crust. You can make any kind of filling that you want, but you MUST make this crust! Pecan Cream Pie with Windmill Cookie Crumb Crust Pie 1 recipe Windmill Cookie Crumb Crust 1 c. heavy whipping cream ¼ c. powdered sugar 2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened ½ c. light brown sugar ¼ c. pure maple syrup 1½ c. finely chopped pecans, divided ¼ t. salt Make pie crust according to recipe (below). Chill before adding the cream pie filling. In the work bowl of your stand mixer, place heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. In a separate mixing bowl place softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and pure maple syrup. Beat together until combined and creamy. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Stir in 1 cup of the chopped pecans. Spread the filling mixture into the pie crust. Sprinkle the remaining pecans (½ c.) on top of the pie. Cover the pie with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, before serving. Crust 1½ c. Windmill Cookie crumbs ⅓ c. granulated sugar ½ c. salted butter, melted Pulse the cookies in a food processor or place them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they form a fine, even crumb. Add the granulated sugar and combine evenly. Melt the butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Pour the melted butter into the crumb mixture and pulse until combined. Press the graham cracker mixture evenly across the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Use your fingers or the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crust tightly and evenly into the pie plate. Chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before filling with a no-bake pie filling. Alternately, bake in a 350°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before adding pie filling. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article

If I ever again mention that I am going to make some jeweled, felt ornaments, somebody slap me. I was digging through my craft drawer and came across a Bucilla kit that I had purchased some time ago. (As an aside, I think I paid around $25 for it at the time; it is now going upwards of $50 on eBay, some listings are as high as $100!) At the beginning of the year, I told myself that I needed to see such projects through. You can see how well that worked out, it’s November. Still, I decided this would be the perfect project for this month. After all, it has a Christmas theme, and these would be excellent to work on in the evening when I’m watching television. They were a lot of work. The pie was an absolute nightmare! Essentially, the instructions read: cut out pieces, embroider, and sew together. This is three-dimensional! Its completion involved so much more than that. At any rate, they don’t look half bad, and I’m rather proud that I did see them through. I decided to keep the plum pudding for myself because I think it would go well on my Charles Dickens themed Christmas tree. The others I believe I’m going to list in my Etsy shop.Are you working on any craft projects currently? What are you making? View the full article

Putting a Thanksgiving dinner on the table is a lot of work. When you factor in anxiety based upon trying all new recipes, it doesn’t allow much breathing space to take photos of the food. As a consequence, I’m asking you to forgive the quality of photos here, but this is a recipe I had to share because it was so good. I decided to have Cajun Thanksgiving this year; my menu was as follows: Cup of Gumbo Cajun Turkey Breast Dressing Bourbon, Bacon, Mac & Cheese Spinach Madeleine Cajun Deviled Eggs Spirited Cranberry Sauce Cornbread Pecan Cream Pie It’s not often that I try all new recipes for a meal, but because I was serving a small number of people who are very tolerant of what I do, I decided to go for it. Never before had any of us had mac and cheese as a part of a Thanksgiving dinner, nor had we had deviled eggs. The deviled eggs were so good that they are going to return for Christmas. Everything was a big success, but what we all particularly enjoyed was the spinach. It was so easy to put together, make ahead, and one of those things that sent us back for seconds. The recipe, as far as I know, first appeared in a 1959 Junior League Cookbook, River Road Recipes: The Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine. It is now prepared at The Gregory Restaurant in Baton Rouge as a part of their Cajun Thanksgiving menu. The only thing I changed here was to use Panko instead of breadcrumbs, and we all loved the added crunch. Spinach Madeleine 2 10-oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach 4 T. butter ½ c. evaporated milk 3 T. flour ½ c. reserved spinach liquid 2 T. chopped Melissa’s shallot 1 t. Melissa’s minced garlic 6 oz. jalapeno jack cheese 1 t. Worcestershire sauce ½ t. freshly ground black pepper ½ t. garlic powder Salt to taste ½ c. Panko breadcrumbs ¼ c. melted butter Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 1½-quart casserole with PAM; set aside. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain the cooking liquid off the spinach, and reserve. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. When butter has melted add the flour, stirring the mixture until it is blended and smooth without being brown. Stir in the shallots, and cook them just until soft. Pour in the evaporated milk and the ½ cup reserved spinach liquid, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring the mixture until it is smooth and thick. Add the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and all the seasonings to the mix. Continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted; stir in spinach. Pour the mixture into prepared baking dish. (At this point, you can put the mixture into the refrigerator if you make it ahead of time. When you’re ready to bake it, bring the casserole to room temperature beforehand.) Combine the breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. Pop the dish into the oven just long enough to make it bubbly and golden. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. View the full article