Several years ago, I had a job I so excelled at that I would finish my work well and always have plenty of downtime. I found myself bringing a magazine occasionally or bringing my iPad to listen to sermons or podcasts during the day. Oftentimes though I would surf the internet for new ideas and…

I was recently asked (along with a few others) to make some goodies for the church’s youth group New Year’s Eve party. Typically, I would make some form of cookie or brownies. I once made these Nutella brownies that had requests and paid offers for months after. Always something with chocolate. I loved chocolate as…

This time of year, good, solid comfort food is the only thing that will do for the moment. We ride this guilt-free train until the new year when we all collectively awaken from our dreams of pilgrims and sugar plums and auld lang syne and let the scale tell us where we stand. But now…

Pecan Pie. A staple of any Southern holiday table and if you’re not using Karo, you’re doing it wrong. All manner of recipes and incarnations have passed across my table; but though I am partial to toasted pecans, this pie never quite “rang my bell.” I think it was the particularly syrupy, loose nature of…

In honor of my birthday this year, I decided to celebrate by doing a giveaway to socially launch my little space here! Today is the day I’ve been eagerly anticipating for almost a month! You didn’t know it, but you were too. For a long time, I have been wanting a small slow-cooker just for…

Continuing on with my birthmonth festivities, my mom and her husband took us to dinner last night at a tiny, but mighty place in north/central Arlington off Pioneer Parkway that was featured on Guy Fieri’s show ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives‘. What can be said about Taste of Europe other than, it completed exceeded my expectations!…

It’s (almost) time for mistletoe and holly… Who knew that combining two simple pantry staples would bring so much joy? Ganache is a simple, versatile addition to many goodies. By playing with the ingredient ratios, one can produce a multitude of variations based on one’s project. For hot chocolate, 1:1. For cake fillings, a 1:2…

Years ago, I learned a fun and easy recipe for cake ball truffles.  She would bring them to every shower and they were always my favorite, so she eventually told us how to make our own.  Had I known they were so easy, I would have started making them a loooong time ago.  So it’s…

For those of you who don’t speak German (I don’t either.  I looked that up!) that means “happy birthday”!  It’s almost my birthday and to celebrate this year, my sweet husband planned a birthday dinner with a few of our closest friends and family members at one of my favorite restaurants. Edelweiss in Fort Worth…

This weekend I prepared a meal for a family who just welcomed another blessing into the world.  They’re a beautifully blended family with love overflowing from every corner of their house.  Because there are more in the family than the average family I cook for, I knew I needed something bigger, but still comforting since…