Ringing in the New Year!

Although I enjoy spending New Year's Eve with family and friends, I love all the glitter and glam that goes along with the evening! No matter what your plans are, I hope these pictures have you sparkling in to the New Year!

Wishing each of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Talk to you in 2011!

Seasoned Pretzels

Those of you who know me and for those of you who don't, you are about to find out how much I love pretzels. Since I can remember pretzels have always been my favorite snack, I pretty much can't live without them. I remember when I was in high school and had no interest in cooking, may be a little baking, but still not much, thank goodness that has all changed, my Mom said that if it was up to me to make dinner we would have pretzels and green beans on our plates. And that is so true, they are both two of my favorite foods.

I'll never forget the first time Thomas brought me home a bag of "seasoned pretzels" from his parents. I couldn't wait to try them, and once I started I couldn't stop. The pint size Ziploc bag Thomas had brought me was gone in a day, ONE DAY! Yes, I am that crazy. Who isn't? Well needless to say, I always look forward to the times these special pretzels are around, though I have yet to make them for myself, I am going to try and I hope you will too and be sure to let me know if you enjoy them as much as I do!


Seasoned Pretzels

Ingredients

2lbs. Pretzels
¾ cup canola oil
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
½ tsp dill weed
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp garlic powder

Directions
Mix seasonings with canola oil. Divide pretzels and put in two Ziploc bags. Divide seasoning and oil and put into each bag. Coat pretzels and let stand for 24 hours, turning occasionally.

ENJOY!

Eat Mor Chikin

I'm back with another delicious recipe from Men's Health. Thomas has been finding scrumptious recipes on their website, you want to what makes the recipes even better? Not only are they easy to make and don't require off the wall ingredients that we will use one time, but they are healthy!

Chicken Cacciatorie

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
8 boneless chicken thighs (or a combination of thighs and drumsticks)**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
10-12 green or black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 lb roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on high. Season the thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, skin side down. Cook, turning occasionally, until they're deeply brown and crisp on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan.

2. Lower the heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, pepper flakes, and olives. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine nearly evaporates, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock, tomatoes, and chicken, tucking it skin side up into the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is nearly falling off the bone and the sauce is reduced by half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on the parsley. Makes 4 servings

**We used organic boneless skinless chicken thighs.

ENJOY!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas! I hope Santa treated you well!

This image was orginally posted on Sweets & Treats, thanks Laur for sharing!

A Family Favorite!

One of my favorite things I love most about the holidays are traditions and cranberry nut bread is one of our traditions. We make this bread from Thanksgiving through Christmas. I really don't know how the tradition was started, but it's something my Mom and her sisters have always made during the holidays and I always look forward to it! Most mornings during the holidays we have a slice for breakfast (with a cold glass of skim milk), it is the perfect mix of sweet and tangy and of course we have it at Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. All my aunts use the exact same recipe and they always say my Mom's is the best and I agree.

Over Thanksgiving I was helping my Mom make the bread, Mom did you notice I didn't include salt as one of the ingredients?, and I think I figured out what her secret is, she uses a little more orange juice then the recipe calls for which gives the bread added moisture and flavor. Give the recipe a try and I hope it will become one of your family favorites too!

Cranberry Nut Bread

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon orange peel, grated
1 egg, well beaten
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
½ cup nuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, oil, orange peel and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

ENJOY!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Mom,

Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

Today, on your birthday...

And eat a piece of cake



or two cupcakes, because birthday's only come once a year!


Happy Birthday to the BEST Mom their is, I love you!!!!

See you very soon!

Christmas Treats

Here's a yummy recipe from Martha Stewart, I made these last year at Christmas and they were such a big hit with women and men alike! What I really like about these cookies are how long they stay fresh and soft, just like brownies!

Martha Stewart Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.

3. Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.

4. Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

You can also make them with other favorite chocolate candies, I used a mixture of peanut butter cups and milk chocolate Hershey Kisses. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Tip from Martha: Adding marshmallows to the container will prevent the cookies from drying out.


Here are two more of my favorite treats to make during the Holidays:

Pretzel Turtles

Mint Brownies

ENJOY!