Over the past few weeks I (and about 600 other bloggers worldwide) participated in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. What does this mean? Aside from cookies, that is? This year, it meant raising almost $14,000 for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. (!!!) It meant each participating blogger baking and sending a dozen cookies each to 3 other bloggers, and it meant every blogger receiving 3 dozen cookies in the mail!
Talk about a win-win!
I love a good appetizer. They set the mood for your tastebuds and get you excited for the meal to come.
And if they’re wrapped in prosciutto, well… that’s just icing on the cake! Or ham on the meatball. Either way.
These meatballs were crafted with Thanksgiving in mind. I stuffed some of those familiar flavors from the big meal into one hearty bite!
I say hearty because this is one of those appetizers that straddles the line between being a respectable two-biter or a mildly ridiculous one-biter. I say go for it, all in one bite. It’s Thanksgiving! Your family doesn’t mind.
It seems like everyone is totally on top of their Thanksgiving game this year. I keep hearing about menus that are fully planned out, pie dough made and frozen, and cute little place cards cut, stamped and tied with a bow.
Normally I would fall into this group (although I’ve never gotten as far as place cards), but this year is a bit different. This being our first Thanksgiving that’s “just the two of us,” hubs and I decided to go out for Thanksgiving dinner. Yes – to a restaurant! AH!!
Has anyone done this before? Are we allowed to do this?? It feels a little odd… so to ease my nerves I made this over-the-top, show-stopping dessert hoping that you might make it for your family on turkey day. I just have to know that somewhere in the world someone is staring at this pie, bug-eyed, asking just like my brother-in-law, “How many of these can I have???”
It’s no secret that I love to throw a party, and a reason for celebrating is definitely not necessary. So when my copy of Winter Cocktails arrived in the mail, my excitement level was through the roof! It’s a gorgeous book full of party-friendly recipes from the ladies over at new-to-me blog Cookin’ and Shootin’.
The book focuses on - you guessed it – seasonally appropriate cocktails, but it doesn’t stop there. It opens with a guide to pantry, fridge and liquor cabinet staples, as well as step-by-step instructions for a variety of bar techniques. They also packed in recipes for infused liquors, simple syrups and the like, plus some drool-worthy recipes for things to snack on while getting your drink on!
There is a loooong list of recipes I can’t wait to try, but right now you’re looking at the first one that jumped right off the page, grabbed me and said, “MAKE ME NOW!!”
So I did!
Excuse me while I go into total Oprah-voice-mode:
IIIIT’S SOOOUUUUUP SEEEAAAAASSSOOOONNNNN!!!
I know I’ve expressed my soup love before, but guess what: can’t stop, won’t stop. I mean, come on! It’s everything you need in one bowl!
So let’s put on some funky socks, then some slippers, and get to stirring a pot full of hearty fall yumminess.