Top 3 Recipe Posts in 2016

 

 

Recipe posts are definately some of my favorite posts to write. Every recipe that I post has a story that goes along with it and I try to evoke the feeling of you cooking right along with me, in my kitchen. It's fun for me to try new recipes and share them with all of you.

I wasn't really surprised to see that the top three recipes are sweet treats, because that is my favorite kind of new recipe to try and usually turn into a lower sugar version, if possible. Sometimes I change the recipe by leaving out excess sugar, but usually I substitute Truvia as a sugar equivilent. As a diabetic, it's all things in moderation and by baking at home, I can indulge a little.

These three recipes are simple, sweet, seasonal and delicious. Any kind of fruit can be substituted for each recipe; even frozen if you can't find fresh fruit to your liking right now. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

 

Strawberry Shortcake Coffee Cake

 

2 Ingredient Fluff Cake

 

One Bowl Apple Plum Cake

 

See you in 2017!

 

Our Christmas in Photos

 

 

 

 

We are still celebrating all this week and the fun didn't stop on Christmas Day, but I wanted to stop in with a quick post on what I have been doing lately. First and foremost, it was so much fun having the girls home and together. After brunch at my brother's house and mass at our church, we had a quiet Christmas Eve with the girls in matching pajamas. We opened presents, watched Christmas movies in front of the fire and toasted the night with glasses of bubbly.

 

 

 

After a late night on Christmas Day, talking and laughing away the night with my husband's family, we were tired, but off again the day after Christmas to have a little fun cousin time. We went to an Escape Room and then out for pizza. Another fun night with family, creating even more memories.

 

 

Last night, the fun continued with my sister in laws big family. They invited us along to play bocce ball at an Italian American Club where we had a huge tournament that lasted until almost midnight. We missed having Megan there, since she had gone back to Pittsburgh for work, but Melissa and I were partners and while bad at bocce ball, we still had so much fun.

The plan is to go out to dinner again tonight before everyone leaves town, so the Christmas fun will continue just a bit longer. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Wednesday!

 

Baking Day

 

 

 

My daughter had the day off work yesterday and she chose to spend it with me - baking cookies. How great is that!? We had a lot of fun mixing, baking, decorating and talking, all the while listening to Christmas music. I also took her to a nice lunch, where we had delicious food with a glass of prosecco and toasted our day together.

But, back to the baking. My Christmas baking is usually pretty traditional, but I decided to try some new recipes this year and Melissa found a recipe for cake balls that she wanted to attempt. We also made home made dog treats for all the dogs in our family. My puppy was the official taste tester and she definately approved of both the taste and the texture.

I really missed having Megan there too, and she will be here in two days, but we called her to let her know how much we wished she was with us. Christmas baking with my daughters was always an intregal part of our holiday traditions and when they no longer live at home and are busy working, it's hard to find the time. I will definitely keep this day as a special memory to add to all the others we've spent together in my kitchen.

 

Vanilla Cake Balls

 

Italian Ricotta Cookies

 

Peanut Blossoms - everyone has their own recipe and mine is from the cookbook my daughter's preschool put together while they attended.

 

Peanut Butter Cheerio Dog Treats

 

Have a wonderful Christmas. I will be spending lots of time over the next few days with family and I hope you all will be doing the same. I wish you much joy and happiness and appreciate your readership and kind words more than you know.