Category Archives: Fun Stuff

Cuban Cheese Ball

While we were in South Florida a few weeks ago we ate lots of yummy things, including several Cuban sandwiches. If you’re unfamiliar with the Cuban sandwich you’re missing out. It’s a pressed sandwich (think panini-ish) made on Cuban bread with roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard.Cuban Cheese Ball

Heaven in a sandwich pretty much. I make them at home from time to time but Cuban bread is hard to come by in the north so they are never quite the same as eating them in FL. Cuban bread is similar to Italian or French but it’s made with lard. The lard makes it extra yummy and also extra crispy when it’s pressed on a hot grill. Read the rest of this entry

Happy Anniversary, Tim!

Sometimes life is not fair. Sometimes life does not shape up the way you think it will or should. You lose important people. You can’t and don’t achieve the things you assumed you would. You face uphill battles and suffer disappointments.

And sometimes you get lucky and you stumble upon someone you could only have dreamed of. The kind of friend who never disappoints and makes all the struggles and losses a little more bearable. Luckily for me, that friend is my husband, Tim.

Today, Tim and I have been married 3 short years. Sometimes it feels like it has passed in the blink of an eye. And yet, I can barely remember what my life felt like before I had him in it.

Without his hand to hold, all of the struggles would be so much more difficult. Without his smile, crazy sense of humor and adventurous spirit my days would be so dull. He knows everything about me. . even the things I would rather he didn’t! He reads me like an open book. And I him. We (blissfully) have no secrets from one another.

I am so fortunate to be married to my best friend. I look forward to 50+ more years together.

Happy Anniversary, Tim. I love you so much! XOXO

I have no recipe for you today. Instead I’ll leave you with a couple of lines from the song that Tim and I shared our first dance to 3 years ago. (Yes Mr. KS, it’s Jason Mraz! 🙂 )

“So I won’t hesitate no more, no more; It can not wait, I’m sure; There’s no need to complicate, our time is short; This is our fate, I’m yours!”

Caramel Apple Pie

It’s November which means it’s the start of baking season. (Let’s be honest, every season is baking season for me.)

I decided to kick off the season with an apple pie. Pretty boring, huh? I know. . so I fancied it up with brown sugar, a streusel topping and a caramel drizzle.

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Spiced Cookie Truffles

It’s almost Halloween! Eat all the miniature candy you can get your hands on. Tiny 3 Musketeers and tiny Almond Joy are my favorite. What are yours?

You could make some cute little truffles to share with all the monsters in your life.

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One Year Blogiversary!

Today is my 1 year Blogiversary! My first post was a year ago today. Wow!

I can’t believe it’s been a year already. It doesn’t seem that I’ve written as many recipes and blog posts as I have this year. You’d assume I’d be as big as a house by now!

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Pumpkin Spice Crispy Treats

I’m continuing on with my October love affair with pumpkin spice. This also satisfies Tim’s love of marshmallow crispy treats.

These are easy and fun and yummy. Most everyone I know likes marshmallow crispy treats. Except maybe for the one marshmallow hater that I know. You know who you are! And even she might like these.

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Coconut Fudgsicles

Just a quick sweet treat for you today. Fudgsicles! Coconut fudgsicles to be exact.

I am a big fan of coconut and chocolate together.

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Couscous, Chick Pea and Basil Salad

We have a large garden at one of the local community gardens this summer. We have everything from basil to tomatoes growing. Everything is getting huge and already producing quite a crop.

The swiss chard is already out of control, as are the cucumbers, basil, peppers, mint, lettuce, radishes, etc. I have started utilizing some of the garden loot. This salad makes good use of my favorite. . .fresh basil.

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Soft Pretzels/Pretzel Dogs

Alton Brown is my cooking hero. He’s so smart and funny and he can cook like nobody’s business.

And isn’t he just so cute? All nerdy and cook-tastic! And you know you want him to make you a brined turkey.

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Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Happy fourth of July week. Because the holiday falls on a Wednesday it does nothing more than break up my week in an odd way. It’s always nicer for it to be on a Monday or Friday. Built in 3 day weekend.

Cupcakes are fun for a holiday and these could be dressed up with red, white and blue wrappers or sprinkles to make them festive. Clearly I made these a few weeks back, as my yard appears green and lush. Right now it is mostly brown and crispy due to a large lack of rain.

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