What a wonderful holiday it has been! Christmas Eve was a highlight for me. Three generations sitting around the candlelit dinner table talking about their Christmas memories. It was such a treat to have both sets of grandparents and their aunt there for the children to hear. We laughed over Farmer Russ always wanting a bicycle when he was a boy and never getting one. He took matters into his own hands and bought himself a motorcycle when he was just 15! Whaaat? What is wrong with THAT picture.

Junebug’s (my mom) favorite present was an Indian outfit complete with a bow and arrow. To everyone surprise Poppa Frank’s favorite present was his Roy Rogers outfit complete with holsters and chaps! What a pair they would make and make now!

I had been obsessing over the menu for a week or two because… I just love to! Here’s what was served:

Asparagus Soup
(a family tradition)

Pear and Gorgonzola Green Salad with Walnuts
(my sister-in-law sent us the most wonderful pears from Harry & David)

Grilled Whole Beef Tenderloin with Green Peppercorn Cream Sauce
(Junebug and Poppa bring one every year… yum!)

Wild Rice Pilaf

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
(fresh from the garden!!! who knew!)

Pennies From Heaven ( a great carrot side)

 After basking in the warm candlelight glow from the table we all said our goodbyes and headed to the candlelight service at church. A beautiful service. So glad that my sister was there. My heart was touched as LaLa asked Ryder if she could put her head in his lap and he played with her hair and scratched her back as she rested. So sweet. Their gentle hands passed the flame from one candle carefully to the other. The sanctuary was aglow as we sang Silent Night.

Christmas morning was fun, EARLY and full of yummy goodness. Here’s what was on the menu:

Quiche Lorraine
(a family tradition: recipe from River Road Recipes- Baton Rouge Jr League cookbook)

Crustless Spinach Quiche
(a new recipe that I wanted to try… I think I prefer Quiche with a crust)

Fruit Salad

Lunch at my sister-in-laws with the extended family was fun and scrumptious. I managed to “win” a roll of toilet paper in the Bad Santa game.  I was hoping for a five dollar bill rolled up in there. No such luck.

The past week has been relaxing, pretty quiet besides the “school is out” sleepovers and “that’s not a word” Scrabble shouting matches. Farmboy even made a delicious Chicken Marsala dinner one night. He is such a Rennissance man! I have been in my pajamas much too much to admit to you. It’s 4:30… we have a party to attend at 7pm. Think I’d better go get changed… NOT that I could possibly still be in my pjs at this hour!

The smell of Black-eyed Peas is in the air. We are taking a DUO (I watch too much Ironchef) of Blackeyed Pea appetizers to the party tonight for double the prosperity for the coming year. Texas Caviar… a great alternative to salsa for chips and a warm BEP dip. Here are the recipes:

Texas Caviar

Zannie’s Black Eyed Pea Dip

When Ryder was getting his hair cut yesterday the stylist asked him what we were doing for New Years and his answer was simply “Eating black-eyed peas”. Made me laugh… we are such an exciting bunch. ; )

Next week Michelle Masters Studio will be back open for business and we will be gearing up for the 2012 Philadelphia Flower Show. There are new greeting card designs on the way as well as some fun new products. Fifteen pounds of french lavender buds is on its way for heavenly scented sachets and I will soon be ordering framing for some new paintings. Yay!

Thank you for stopping by- for reading, for your comments over the last year and for your encouragement and support of my little niche in the world. I am so honored. I wish you JOY, PEACE, PROSPERITY & GRACE for the coming year. May it shine in your lives and illuminate all those around you. : )

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~   Appetizers   ~

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Shrimp Cocktail

~   Main Course  ~

Baked Ham with Bourbon and Coke Glaze & Jezebel Sauce

Brined Roasted Turkey with Traditional Cornbread Dressing & Gravy

~   Sides  ~

Cheese Souffle

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Pennies from Heaven

Sauteed Green Beans

~   Dessert   ~

New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Marilyn’s Flan

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Caesar Salad

Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce

Wild Rice Pilaf

Steamed Broccoli

Apple Pie

Cheesecake Petites

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• 5 carrots- peeled and sliced 1/4 thick
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Place the carrots in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Then rinse under cold water and drain.

2. Stir the sugar and cinnamon together until well mixed. Set aside.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet. Stir in the cooked carrots and the orange juice. Sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mixture and cook over medium heat until the carrots are glazed and the sauce is slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

4 to 6 portions

**  Original recipe calls for the following additional ingredients added at the end. Cook until heated through:

• 10 dried pitted apricots, slivered
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

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Yesterday I made the most fantastic salsa with fresh tomatoes and peppers from the garden. It will light your fire. I LOVE spicy food and this recipe is a keeper. I was running low on jalapenos so I chopped up and threw in a few green cayenne peppers with the seeds. Yowza! Sha-Zam! The seeds are where the heat comes in so adjust accordingly for your taste. And don’t rub your eyes while you are chopping your peppers if you don’t wear gloves like me! See important note below.

• 8 Beefsteak type vine ripened tomatoes
• 1 Jalapeno peppers chopped fine- add seeds for heat
• 1 green cayenne pepper chopped fine
• 1 large onion chopped fine
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• splash of red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper to taste.

Peel, seed and chop tomatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Grab some corn chips and hang on to your hat!

If you accidently get oil from the peppers in your eyes or heaven forbid your nose…give yourself a yogurt facial. Seriously! I have rubbed it in my eyes before and it was the ONLY thing that worked. Farmboy had to do an emergency search online because I couldn’t open my eyes to see the computer. Moral of the story… don’t chop peppers and inadvertenly get distracted on the phone. You COULD just do what you are supposed to and wear gloves. But tell me, do YOU have latex gloves in your kitchen?

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Herbed Flatbread & Warm Robiola Cheese with Pine Nuts, Olives and Golden Raisins

Chopped Salad

Grilled Herb Potatoes

Fish Kabobs

Grilled Pork Skewers with Chile Sauce

Glazed Strawberry Pie

Thanks to Mike and Ann for letting me post the menu for our dinner club. Farmboy and I will be bringing the Glazed Strawberry Pie tonight. I am so excited to get to use my new food processor to make the pie crust. Yay! If you’ve read the entertaining/recipe posts before you know I have been borrowing my mother-in-laws for years. LaLa and I went this morning to buy fresh picked strawberries from Manley Farms in Elbridge, New York. The most delicious strawberries you have ever seen and tasted! I will post the strawberry pie recipe with photos once it is completed so please stay tuned and get your forks ready! Here’s a little strawberry sneak peak…

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Farmboy and I hosted our dinner club with this menu one snowy January evening. The flavors were meant to heat up a cold winter night and feature some new spices that I had never cooked with before. We served the appetizer with Indian beer and featured a nice mix of Indian/World music. The inexpensive glass hanging candle votive added a nice ambiance to our dinner as the evening went on.

Seekh Kebabs with Herb Yogurt Dip

Beet Curry Soup with Feta and Cumin Crackers

Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry

Mughlai Chicken

Basmati Rice with Indian Spices and Traditional Raita

Mango with Ginger Mint Syrup

The kebabs were delicious as was the beet curry soup. I couldn’t decide on the main course so I prepared two separate chicken dishes for us to try. I thought the Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry would win for heat but it wasn’t as spicy as I had expected. The Chicken Mughlai was scrumptious… very complex flavors! I’ve made it couple of times since the dinner. The Basmati Rice and Raita I have continued to make as well.

Dinner clubs are a great way to try new dishes and cook with spices you normally wouldn’t- not to mention creating lasting friendships. Many of the spices for these dishes I did not have in my kitchen so it is a bit of an investment in that regard, but they are great to have on hand. I encourage you to get out of your culinary comfort zone and try cooking with new spices, new flavors and new friends!

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Sundried Tomato, Basil Pesto and Goat Cheese Spirals

Kale and Pecorino Crostini

Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs

Cola & Brown Sugar Basted Ham with Jezebel Sauce

Mashed Potatoes

Spicy Corn Pudding

Green Beans Almondine

Seven Layer Fruit Compote

Marilyn’s Cherry Pie

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• 10 oz. jar pineapple preserves
• 1o oz. jar apple jelly
• 6 oz. jar horseradish
• 1/2 can dry mustard. (1 1/2 0z. size)
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients. Let chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour before using.

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Rosemary’s Pink Diamond Fizz Cocktail

Baked Brie with Dried Cherries & Thyme

Blood Orange and Radicchio Salad with Hazelnuts and Shaved Parmigiano

Creamy Potato Soup with Pancetta Croutons

Sauteed Asparagus and Snap Peas

Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary and Chocolate

Dark Chocolate Souffle’ Cakes with Espresso-Chocolate Sauce

Thanks to our friends Eric and Joanne Tills from our dinner club for letting me post the menu for our upcoming dinner. I’m certain it will be delish! Farmboy and I will be bringing the Chocolate Souffle Cakes so I will be certain to post about that later. I can’t wait to taste that Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary and Chocolate! Be sure to click on the titles above to view the recipes.

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