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Pumpkin Cake with Toasted Coconut Frosting – Thanksgiving Dessert
One of my mother’s time honored traditions was to serve a pumpkin cake each year, for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, with her special toasted coconut frosting. She is not with us now, but that does not mean the cake will be missing! My whole family takes turns at making the cake for our Thanksgiving celebration. […]
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Gingerbread House Tips – 15 Tricks for Making Gingerbread Houses
These Gingerbread House tips will make sure that your next project will be a stunner. From using muffin tins for supplies to choosing the right icing, these steps will make the task of making gingerbread houses quick and easy. The taste of gingerbread desserts just seem to go along with Christmas in my mind. Check […]
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Growing Hellebores – Lenten Rose – How to Grow Helleborus
If you like the idea of a plant that flowers in winter while there is still snow on the ground, try Growing Hellebores. Lenten Rose is another name for helleborus. The blooms come in lots of different shades and shapes. I first heard of Hellebores perennial several years ago when I spent a season trying […]
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Aids for Health and Wellness Goals for 2020 – Fish Oil, Magnesium and Multi Vitamins
When the new year comes to an end, I like to focus on my goals for the year. I find that I have the most success when I keep health and wellness goals at the forefront of my mind all year round. If you have been reading my blog lately, you will know that […]
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Snowman Wall Hanging – A Rustic Christmas Decoration
This snowman wall hanging is a rustic Christmas decoration that is made from an old kitchen door frame. It is super easy to make and looks great hanging on the shutters at our front door entry. Using recycled wood in this project saved me some money and also helps to save the environment. I have […]
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Boxwood Christmas Wreath – DIY Holiday Project
This boxwood Christmas wreath makes a nice change from the traditional fir wreath often seen this time of the year. it’s easy to make and you can use items from your own yard. I enjoy decorating with Christmas plants during the holidays and am always on the look out for something a bit out of […]
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Cherry Cordial Recipe – Making Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries
My all time favorite Christmas treat is a chocolate covered cherry cordial. Each year, this is something that my husband buys me for my stocking, and he knows that I’ll be thanking “Santa” for these bonbons. January 3 is celebrated each year as National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day. Let’s find out how to make them […]
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Pruning Hellebores – Tips for Lenten Rose Maintenance
Pruning hellebores will keep your Lenten rose looking its best all year long. Hellebores are a long blooming perennial plant that needs very little in the way of maintenance but it does get a bit ragged looking at times of the year. The flowers are so pretty and resemble wild roses that have opened up. […]
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Cold Hardy Vegetables Give you a head Start on Spring
These Cold Hardy Vegetables are perfect for the cool weather of early spring and good one to think about planting soon. Many of us have very cold temperatures going on right now but it’s never too early to plan ahead for vegetable gardening. With spring right around the corner and daylight savings on the horizon, […]
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Forcing Forsythia Indoors – How to Force Forsythia Blooms
I love anything that gives me a jump start on spring. Forcing forsythia indoors lets me have the showy yellow flowers of the well known harbinger of spring – forsythia bushes . They are great to enjoy indoors well before they give you their cheery spring greeting outside. Luckily, it is very easy to force […]
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Winter Flowering Plants – Add These for Cold Weather Color
Winter flowering plants bring a blast of color to your yard and garden when you need it most – when the temperatures are really cold and not much is growing. It’s cold outside for most of us in the USA, but that does not mean that we have to sit idly by and wait for […]
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Attracting Birds in Winter – Bird Feeding Tips for the Cold Months
How does a gardener go about attracting birds in winter? These bird feeding tips will make sure that your yard is a welcoming place for our feathered friends all year long. Many gardeners try to plant shrubs and flowers that attract birds during the spring and summer. But what about the winter months? It is […]
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Forcing Paperwhites – How to Force Paperwhite Narcissus Bulbs
Forcing paperwhites indoors will give you a delightful splash of spring color in just a few weeks. The project can be done in soil or in water and the kids will love to help. These pretty blooms can be used as a Christmas plant for decorating. Since spring is far off, these flowers on a […]
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Peppermint Rice Krispie Ball Cookies
These peppermint Rice Krispie ball cookies are so tasty and look really festive too. They have a crunchy cereal base dipped in white chocolate with a fun candy cane holder. This cookie recipe makes a great homemade Christmas gift and is perfect to take to a cookie swap. I love making cookies this time of […]
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Microwave Peanut Brittle – Homemade Nut Brittle with a Delicious Crunch
This microwave peanut brittle is simple to make but looks like you made a trip to the candy shop. It comes together in just minutes and tastes amazing. Homemade nut brittle is one of our favorite Christmas recipes. Peanut brittle is not just for the holidays. Keep that tastes coming in January, too, by celebrating […]
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Lemon Snowball Cookies – Snowball Cookie Recipe
These lemon snowball cookies are snowball shaped bites of melt in your mouth sweet deliciousness. This snowball cookie recipe is perfect for a cookie swap and will be a cookie recipe that you will love to make each Christmas. These delicate cookies are the perfect choice to make for Bake Cookies Day on December 18. […]
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Hasselback Baked Apples – Tasty Gluten Free Sliced Apples Recipe
These hasselback baked apples are a fun take on the traditional baked apple recipe. Instead of hollowing out the apple and adding a filling, the apple is thinly sliced and then drizzled with a delicious buttery brown sugar topping. A crunchy gluten free flour and oat topping completes this delicious dessert recipe. When you are […]
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Baileys Mudslide Truffle Recipe – Irish Cream Truffles
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, this Baileys Mudslide Truffle recipe is the perfect way to end a romantic meal with a loved one. I love the taste of sweet treats that are mixed with alcohol. They add a touch of decadence to recipes and are perfect for celebrating. These Irish Cream Truffles are […]
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Vegetable Beef Barley Soup – (Slow Cooker) – Hearty Winter Meal
Are you looking for an easy slow cooker hearty winter meal? This flavorful vegetable beef barley soup is chock full of vegetables in a delightfully seasoned broth that will warm you to the bones. The soup cooks for hours so you can get on with your day, and makes the kitchen smell amazing, to boot. […]
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DIY Candy Cane Vase – Easy Holiday Decor Project
This DIY candy cane vase makes an easy holiday decor project that is as much fun to put together as it is to display. Since it uses poinsettia flowers it goes right along with all your Christmas plants. All you need are some candy canes and a few inexpensive supplies. Grab some peppermint sticks and […]
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Irish Cream Fudge – Bailey’s Fudge Recipe with Coffee Flavor
This delicious Bailey’s fudge recipe has a surprise addition of coffee for a great flavor. It is creamy and sweet and has a lovely consistency. This year, make some Irish Cream Fudge as a part of your Christmas traditions! Who doesn’t love the taste of a glass of Bailey’s Irish cream during the holidays? It […]
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One Pot Beef Curry and Vegetables – Easy Thai Curry Recipe
This delicious one pot beef curry recipe is big on flavor but low on calories. It truly is one of the easiest curries that you can make, but don’t let that fool you. The flavor is amazing! This Thai curry is a gluten free and easy to make meal that will delight your family. I […]
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Old Fashioned Slow Cooker Beef Stew
For me, there is nothing quite like the taste of an Old Fashioned Slow Cooker Beef Stew. Ah – the joys of using a slow cooker. When the weather is cold and you are looking for something comforting for dinner, bring out your crock pot. Cooking beef this way ends up in the most amazingly […]
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Winter Garden Views in January
The weather outside does not lend itself to gardening right now. We recently had a snow storm that dumped about three inches here in North Carolina. Looking over my snow soaked garden gave me the idea to have a share day on my Facebook page. I asked my Facebook fans to share their Winter Garden Views and […]
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Chicken Cheese Panini Sandwich – Slimmed Down Lunch Delight
This slimmed down chicken cheese panini sandwich is my first attempt at using a panini press, and it turned out great. My daughter bought me a panini pan for Christmas. She and I often have mum-daughter dates at Panera Bread and I always choose a half panini sandwich and bowl of soup. Jess knew that […]
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My 10 Most Popular Posts of 2016
Each year, at the end of December, I take stock of what worked (and what didn’t!) on my blog. Sometimes, I am surprised when a blog post makes my top 10 list for the past year when I wasn’t expecting it. Other times, I think “not you again” when a tried and true favorite post […]