Goodbye 2009 and hello 2010

Wow the end of 2009 is here-what a year!

Tonight I will be celebrating the start of a new year at one of my favorite restaurants that unfortunately will not be around in 2010-Tangled Up In Blue in Taylors Falls with Chef Ross Reed is closing tonight!

I am so looking forward to dinner tonight-but not to the realization that such a good restaurant and staff will not be there next week.

Hopefully 2010 brings all of us a little better luck financially speaking!

I wish you all a very safe and Happy 2010!

Be chatting again soon....

A Successful Cooking Gig

Wow what a great last week! First awesome Christmas with all the snow and then my cooking gig went very well. What an experience to cook for 20-35 people for 8 days straight! It seems very weird to think about cooking for 2 people now!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and is looking forward to a happy healthy 2010!

I will be back in full force in the days to come-since most of us will be jumping on the weight loss band wagon look for yummy recipes that help the waist line but don't give up on the flavor!

Herb Growing Update and Happy Holiday's

I told you when I set up my AeroGrow garden that I would keep you posted-well it has been about 1 week or less and all 7 of the different types of herbs are about an inch high! I will be able to cut little offshoots by the new year! What fun.

I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas-I begin a large cooking job tomorrow that will last thru Christmas weekend so I am not thinking I will be posting as regularly as I have been-don't think I have forgotten about you-I will be back with more food stories and fun.

Enjoy the eating frenzy that is about to hit us all in the next couple of week's.

My Favorite Christmas Cookie

Wow-I finally broke down and baked a few Christmas cookies today-I right now am just able to smell the beginnings of possibly the best smell ever-Snickerdoodles baking!

Is there anything better than that cinnamon/sugar combo heating up in the oven? I could almost just sit and smell them instead of eating them---ya right I will have a hard time waiting for them to cool enough so that I don't burn my mouth.

I actually like them after they have cooled better with the little bit of crispness from the cinnamon/sugar and the wonderful tenderness of the buttery cookie!

My question is why did the get the unfortunate tag of being a Christmas cookie-why don't people make them any other time of the year-it seems very unfair!

Hmmmmmmmmmm or should I say MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

New Take on Old Favorite

Tis the season for Holiday parties and the need for bringing an appetizer here or a dessert there-follow along and see what you think of this new take on the classic appetizer

Hot Garlic Artichoke Dip
1 14oz can artichokes-chopped and drained
1 envelope mushroom-onion soup mix
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup mayonnaise
16 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small can chopped jalapenos
1 chipotle in adobo plus a teaspoon of adobo sauce

Mix all ingredients together in crock pot and heat until hot all thru. Serve with tortilla chips

Enjoy

New Favorite Food Related Show

I have found my new favorite food related show-Anthony Bourdain-No Reservations!

It is like Alton Brown's show meets Andrew Zimmern. A wonderful show that tours the world showing off different cultural masterpieces while showing the edgy side of Anthony Bourdain!

It is on the Travel channel-I highly recommend you find it and watch it cuz I know you will love it as I have come to!

Spring will be here soon!

I bet that got your attention!

I guess in a certain part of my mind Spring is just around the corner-why you might ask-well today I planted my herbs in my AeroGrow garden-which is one reason why it makes me think of spring and summer as within a few weeks I will have fresh herbs at my fingertips-just like the heat of the summer!

But the real reason is that I had to get my herbs planted so that they were done producing in time for me to plant all my tomato and pepper seeds to get them growing and ready for my garden next year!

So really March will be here before you know it which is when my herbs will be done producing and I will plant my garden seeds.

It is such an awesome thing to know that I am able to plant all or most of my plants from seeds and grow them all by myself!!!!!

I would highly recommend the AeroGrow garden if you like to have fresh anything flowers, tomatoes, peppers or herbs-it is truely an awesome device.

Your kids will love it too as you can actually watch the plants grow.

Stay tuned for updates to come in the days to come