In My Kitchen ~ December 2013

FaLaLaLaLa .. LaLaLaLa.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone which means Christmas is almost here! Merry Christmas from my kitchen to yours!

I especially want to send holiday greetings to Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, for making the In My Kitchen posts possible. What a wonderful lady, so talented and kind. Be sure to stop by and check out her posts, and the posts of all the other bloggers who participate.

In my kitchen …
Years ago, when my daughter was a little girl, we'd make Christmas ornaments together to give as gifts. This is one of my favorites. To make it, you'll need nuts (almonds and filberts in the shell), a hot glue gun, and holiday ribbon. If you want to add a bit of glamour, you can paint the nuts gold. I prefer them natural.

In my kitchen …

Caprese Skewers, a red and green themed holiday appetizer. You can find the recipe here.  

In my kitchen …
Way back in the 1950's, when I was growing up, my mom always made an Ice Cream Cake for dessert on Christmas. Ice cream cake in December, in snowy cold Minnesota, is a bit of an oxymoron, but my three brothers and five cousins loved it and looked forward to it every year!

In my kitchen …
Pretzel buttons: Pretzels, Hershey's kisses and Christmas M&M's. Easy and yummy! Fun to make with kids, too!

Finally, here's a song that makes me smile. Sorry about the commercial.  Listen here.

Peace and blessings to all of you!

In My Kitchen ~ October 2013

Hello and welcome to a new month! The leaves are beginning to change color in my corner of the world, from green to yellow, bright orange and red. Nature's having one last fling before settling down for winter's deep sleep. 

In my kitchen ... 

I've got Honey Crisp apples. Sweet, firm and tart, the Honey Crisp originated here in my home state, at the University of Minnesota. Although they were developed in the 1960's, they weren't released to the public until 1991. 

In my kitchen ...

I've got rich, dense bundt cake. Did you know the bundt pan was created in Minnesota in 1950 by H. David Dahlquist, founder of Minneapolis-based Nordic Ware? The name bundt comes from the German word bund, which means "community" or "a gathering of people." Mr. Dahlquist added the letter "t" to the end and trademarked the word.

In my kitchen ...

You'll usually find a jar of Royal Blend rice on the pantry shelf. We love rice and this nutritious combination of Texmati white, brown, wild and red makes a great side dish. It's low-fat and an excellent source of fiber. I buy it locally but it can be ordered online.

In my kitchen ...

I've got a crustless quiche (recipe here). It's perfect for any time of day: breakfast, lunch or dinner; goes together quickly and never disappoints. It's one of those marvelous recipes that uses up leftover veggies (tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, green pepper), as well as bacon or ham and a variety of cheeses.

Thanks for stopping by. And thanks to the amazing Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, for providing this place for all of us to come together and share! Be sure you take a minute to visit the other kitchens joining the fun!