Pumpkin Bread

There seem to be two types of pumpkin bread - the very cake-like kind that often contains chocolate chips, and the denser spice-bread-like one with nuts. Both are delicious and I have a hard time deciding which I like better. I guess it depends on my mood. This is pumpkin bread of the denser variety and I think it is delicious! It doesn't have a ton of ingredients - which is great, it makes 2 loaves - so you can take one to a friend, and it seriously takes about 6 minutes to whip together. This would be great to include on holiday goodie plates or to serve at a holiday party or just to make for your long drive to California you have coming up - that would be my reason :). It will be delicious no matter what!

Snowball Cookies

These little gems are known by many names - Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Tea Cookies, Snowdrops, etc. Whatever you call them, they are delicious, and to me they scream Christmas! I was first introduced to these when I was dating my husband. They are his mother's favorite Christmas cookie and I see why. They have very few ingredients, but are so nutty and crumbly and delicious, and of course they look like little snowballs! The dough is not like your traditional sugar or chocolate chip cookie, so don't be alarmed. These are easy to make and look very festive on a plate of goodies. Give them a try!

Baked Potato Soup

I LOVE this soup. It is perfect for winter. Although it has potatoes, it also happens to have plenty of bacon, sour cream, and cheddar cheese (hehe) so I try not to make it too often, but it's fun once in awhile! It's thick and creamy and delicious and perfect for a cold night - or even a warm night! What's even better is it's not very hard at all. You bake your potatoes ahead of time (or microwave them like I do), cook your bacon, and then basically throw everything together. Yum! Just remember to work out extra hard the next day. ;)

English Toffee

Tis the season for toffee! I have always been a big toffee fan, so when I married my husband and discovered that his family makes their own, I was very happy! Jeremy and I made it for the first time together 2 years ago and by now, after having messed it up almost as many times as I've gotten it right, I've finally figured out how to do it just right. :) Remember patience is key with any candy-making, so just give it time. This is a great thing to add to a goodie plate to take to the neighbors or to wrap up in cute little bags with a ribbon (which is what we plan to do tonight). Of course, I always have a hard time getting it to last that long. So don't be afraid to try it! It's sooo worth it.

Spinach Gratin

This picture does NOT do this dish justice, but trust me, this is the way you want to eat your spinach. :) My sister Wendy introduced this recipe to our family last year by giving it to another sister of mine. We ate it at Thanksgiving last year and then I made it this year as well. It's always a hit and really dresses up the spinach. I know it seems like there is a lot of cheese and cream/milk, but really, the star of the dish is the spinach. You can't tell from the top (my picture) but once you break into it, it's very green and spinachy. :) Try this at your next dinner party or holiday gathering. Everyone will love it!

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

Yummy! I love oats and coconut - put them together in a cookie and it's delicious! These are so soft, chewy, and buttery and they are definitely a new favorite of mine. If you bake them longer they would be more crunchy, but I prefer the soft chewiness. These are so good!

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes

This made for a delicious Sunday dinner yesterday. I'd had my eye on this recipe for awhile and finally decided to try it. I'm so glad I did! It sounds fancy and tastes amazing, but it was really very simple. There aren't very many ingredients and it comes together really quickly. We ate this with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables and it made for a great hearty meal. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Recap

Success! I don't have much time, but I wanted to get some pictures up from our tasty Thanksgiving. I have several recipes I'm excited to share next year for Thanksgiving and I'm glad they all turned out! We had a wonderful time visiting with family and enjoying the holiday.

Hors d'oeuvres prepared by my mother-in-law: