What started it all?

Two years ago I sat on my couch in my new house and decided I was going to start an online "diary" of sorts. Something that Justin & Christopher would have to go back to and something their children and the generations following would have to know me by in the future. I started out with Justin who is pictured with me above just a few days before I started this blog - and I was remembering the year that his father and I brought Christmas back into his little heart. Such precious memories of my little boy and the excitement and joy that Christmas brings. A couple days later I remembered my Christopher and my favorite memory of him.

What started as my diary, turned into a food blog. It still is a diary of sorts - just a diary that includes recipes that I have made (and continue to make!) and stories of our life.

So much has happened since starting this blog. My Grandmother who after my children were born became known as Nanny, being my inspiration in the kitchen and the person I looked up to and want to be like.

Kristina's bridal shower and then Justin & Kristina's wedding day.

Making doughnuts with my mom - a memory I am so glad to have captured here.

The decorated snowflake cookies that got me so much attention that a reader emailed me wanting me to make them and ship them to her for her daughter's birthday party!

My brother Steve made his apple dumplings with rum sauce with me while I visited him last Christmas.

My son Christopher became a "rockstar" on fruit rollups ;o)

Grumpy came thru for me not only here, but here on Valentines day. He felt the pressure on year two....I wonder if he is going to feel the pressure this year? lol

Sadly, I lost a stumbleupon friend




You heard about our cruise

....and what about the great toothbrush debate?-BTW, we now have hot pink and blue toothbrushes. ;-)



I have reminisced many times about my grandmother and how much I miss her.



Our grown up halloween party sponsored by Foodbuzz - held with my DIL Kristina and son Justin.


Recently, the exciting launch of my e-book and monthly newsletter all thanks to my friend Mike whom I reconnected with last year on Facebook!

I've shared birthdays and giveaways. I've heard from readers who love my blog and those who don't. Yup, there are those who don't love me. LOL. All in all I am happy to have this blog. I look forward to the upcoming changes happening (change is good, but it comes slow!), but most of all, I look forward to hearing from more of you, sharing recipes and memories and working on my book. Thank you for stopping by to visit me on a regular basis and for sharing my happiness and my woes! I can't believe - I am starting on year 3!!

To celebrate my two years of blogging I will be doing a special giveaway. I don't have it quite together yet, but will have it here before the end of this week. I'm on break all week and will be working on the giveaway and busy occupying Grumpy's time. ;o)

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What fills your heart with love?

Oh definitely.....that little face does it. Just look at him! LOL

What a joyful, happy, bubbly little man my Christopher is. Well, yeah. I know he's not so little now, but he is the same sweetness now that he was back then! What mom wouldn't want to squeeze and hug and love him?

How lucky I am that Chris loves to spend time with his mom? In the kitchen, just hanging out, having lunch together....

Always willing to pose with mom for a photo. Always with a smile on his face.

Happy Birthday to you Christopher T. Mom loves you so much and you are one of the biggest joys I have in my life! You make my heart burst with love and pride.

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Last minute gifts

Yesterday I saw that Maria from Two Peas in Their Pod had made these awesome truffles. Since I really didn't want to spend the money to buy truffles I decided instead to make these - they are so quick and easy to make - and you still have time to make them! For the recipe, hop on over to her site. I also decided to make these with white chocolate and the truffle is on the cool stage as I write!

Also, it is not too late to get my 7 Holiday Favorites e-book! Just sign up for my e-recipe club to the right and you will automatically receive the e-book! >>>>>>

These pretzels are also a very easy gift to throw together and everyone loves them! You just melt your chocolate (white or dark) coating, dip your pretzels and sprinkle with decos....and there you have it - a Christmas decorated pretzel that will add some pizazz to your goodie bag! Grumpy helped me make these last night. As I dipped, he "bammed" the pretzels with the decos. For someone who doesn't care for Emeril - he sure can do a good imitation of him! ;o) Don't worry Emeril, I love you and that is all that matters!

From the home of

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and the winners are....

For the Omaha Steak giveaway: Doug from Hugging the Coast
For the Pillsbury (myblogspark) giveaway: Nikitheo from It's all about the "sweet" stuff!

Congrats!!!

I also want to remind you that my e-book is still available! All you need to do is subscribe to my monthly e-mail recipe club! You can sign up to the right>>>>>>>>

Its likely I will not be blogging again until after Christmas. I have so much going on - like the rest of you I'm sure! I want to let you know that December 27th will be my 2 year blog anniversary. Look for a special giveaway to begin on that day! :-)

Wishing you all a Happy Holiday!!
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Festive Cranberry Pecan Brie - and a Pillsbury Giveaway!

A little more than a week ago I asked my readers to choose a recipe from Pillsbury for me to change up. Pillsbury provided me thru myblogspark with the opportunity for me to have my recipe chosen from a select group of bloggers to be featured on their site and contest to offer you a prize for participating with me! One person will be chosen from comments on this post to receive a prize pack with 2 coupons for a free tube of Pillsbury Crescent Dough and holiday serving platters! (I was sent the same gift pack that is being given away to my readers prior to creating my recipe).

The recipe I created is called Festive Cranberry Pecan Brie. I am the only one in the house who will eat brie cheese but believe me, that was not a problem! I asked Grumpy if he would try some and he flatly refused stating "I don't like brie, but it looks nice." lol Oh well, I'll share some with Chris who loves it! My recipe follows:

Festive Cranberry Pecan Brie

1- 8 oz round of Brie cheese
1 tube of Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough
1/4 cup maple cream
1/2 cup chopped candied pecans
sugar frosted cranberries (see below for how to frost cranberries)

Open crescent dough, roll out and divide into two pieces. Take brie round and remove top rind. Place brie on top of one section of crescent dough. Spread the 1/4 cup maple cream over top of brie then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of chopped candied pecans. Bring edges of dough up sides of brie (it will not cover it entirely - it will pretty much cover the sides). Place remaining dough on top of brie round covering pecans. Gently wrap around the cheese pressing lightly to make sure dough has adhered to itself.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until crescent dough has browned.

Remove from oven and let sit approximately 15 minutes. Place brie on serving platter and surround with sugar frosted cranberries and garnish with mint leaf to set off the festive look! Serve and enjoy!

**To frost cranberries: Place3 cups cranberries in a mixing bowl and stir together with 2 Tablespoons corn syrup. On a cookie sheet sprinkle 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Pour cranberries over top of sugar and using a spoon arrange so berries are spread out over the sugar. Gently shake cookie tray back and forth to move berries and coat them with sugar. Let sit on counter until dry (I let mine sit overnight but it only takes a couple hours for this to dry).

I also have something exciting to offer you! See this photo below? This is the cover of my new e-book featuring 7 of my favorite recipes for the holidays! I would like everyone of you to have one! I am also offering the opportunity for you to subscribe to my e-newsletter which will come out approximately once a month.

When you subscribe to my newsletter you will have the benefit of:

• FREE Subscriber-only Recipes delivered to your e-mail inbox.

• Subscriber-only drawings for great free items

• My e-Book "HoneyB's 7 Holiday Favorites" - FREE to subscribers.

To subscribe, click the link in the upper right hand corner of this page that says "Click here to subscribe." This is just below the photo of the cover of my e-book.

You can have 2 chances to enter the Pillsbury giveaway:

• Subscribe to my new monthly newsletter.

• Leave a comment tell me what your favorite crescent appetizer is to serve over the holidays!

**Coupons are only valid in the U.S.

Giveaway will end Monday, December 21, 2009 at midnight - so hurry and enter! Good luck!

Also, don't forget the Omaha Steak giveaway below! You have until midnight tonight to enter - winners will be announced Monday.

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