Happy New Year!

Potato Gnocchi

Potato Gnocchi

Perhaps it’s the cooler temperatures that gives me the desire to make what I would consider comfort foods.  Gnocchi definitely falls into that category for me.   It’s a food that is both hearty and delicate, & it can be paired with a wide array of flavors.  Plate it or serve it with sauteed or roasted vegetables, grated cheese, seasoned butter, sauce, pesto, or even gravy.

Joy’s Party Cup Charms

Party Cup Charms

This clever idea comes from my sister, Joy.  We’ve all heard of wine charms, right?  You know, the little jewelry-like pieces that attach to the stem of your wine glass so that you can identify which glass is yours?  Well, Joy was looking for something to attach to plastic cups, instead of just writing your name with a Sharpie.   How stinkin’ cute is this?!  Use one charm per cup, & your guests will always know which cup is theirs!

Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies – A Recipe Review

Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies

With Christmas being only a week from now, this is an easy way to make a quick batch of sugar cookies for sharing or to keep at home.

Pasillo Ancho Steak – Slow Cooker Recipe

Pasilla Ancho Steak

Tender steak with rich sauce – a delicious recipe for this busy season!

This one was inspired by my nephew Jason’s interest in slow cooking recipes.  His motivation is to have dinners ready when he & his fiance come home from work.  He has the right idea – with just a little bit of prep before a busy day, the payoff is huge!

Top Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Top Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

Living in Tucson, we don’t have to worry about many cold nights.   On those few nights when a little warming up is in order, nothing is better than some good old fashioned, comfort food straight from the oven.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cookies – A Recipe Review

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cookies

Baking Christmas cookies is something I look forward to this time of year, but baking Christmas cookies with my sister – that takes it to another level of fun!  Jill & I set aside time on Sunday afternoon at her house, & we had such a blast!  Talking, laughing, baking, listening to Christmas music & enjoying the beautiful decorations she has on display throughout her home.

A Little Bit “About” Me

I’ve been putting off updating my “About” page for awhile now.  I was reading a fellow blogger’s page, & found myself smiling, as I really felt I had a sense of her personality.  Later, I came back to my own “About” page & realized how desperately it needed my attention.

So I present to you my new ABOUT page, a glimpse into my world.  My hope is that you’ll know me a bit better, & feel a warm welcome whenever you visit my blog – or as my mom calls it, blob.  She really doesn’t know any better!

Jill’s Cucumber Cups

Jill’s Cucumber Cups

This photo & idea came from my sister Jill, who made these for her Scrabble group a few months ago.  She said,  “These cucumbers were cut into about 1-1/2” chunks  (peeled pretty) and the centers were scooped out with a melon baller.  I then made a cream cheese mixture with fresh herbs (any kind you like), added spices (dill & garlic, salt & pepper) and beat to the desired consistency and piped into the cukes!  There are a bazillion recipes for this online (Pinterest)  So pretty and delicious!”

What a fun appetizer that I can’t wait to try!  I can come up with several filling ideas, what about you?

Green Chile & Beef Pies

Green Chile Beef Pies

Empanadas, pasties, pies…these are known by many names, but are they different?  In my quest to make these little gems for dinner, I found a delicious recipe for empanada dough from Mark Bittman’s book How to Cook Everything.  This dough was superb…flaky, tender, light & delicious.  It got me thinking, however,