Sometimes, in the bleak days of winter, when the holidays are over and real life comes crashing back in, it is nice to have a moment of simple comfort. A nice, filling, warm meal, but not one that takes hours and hours of hands-on prep. So for that reason, I present this very simple, classic soup that takes very little effort but produces beautiful bowls of hearty soup with … [Read more...] about Slow Cooker Italian White Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto
Risotto is comfort food for me. Once I discovered how easy it is to make at home, it became one of my favorite meals to make as a special treat for myself, in many forms. I love it with tomato, or cheeses, or corn or butternut squash or pumpkin. I actually find the process of stirring and adding the broth a little at a time sort of soothing and meditative. But it is a bit of a … [Read more...] about Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto
Gingerbread Baked Apples
For my family, Christmas day brunch is part of our tradition. A nice, big spread with biscuits and jam, grits and egg casserole, maybe country ham or bacon or homemade sausage. Maybe a French toast casserole, or one with hashbrowns. And fruit. Sometimes a baked fruit casserole with canned fruit, sometimes a fresh fruit salad. I like to mix it up a … [Read more...] about Gingerbread Baked Apples
Eggnog Sheet Cake
I recently extolled the virtues of sheet cake with my Thanksgiving post on Sweet Potato Sheet Cake with Caramel Icing. Now I want to move into the holidays with this decadent eggnog version. It still feeds a crowd, looks lovely, can be made ahead and easily transported. And it is absolutely brimming with seasonal cheer. I made this twice last year and got many requests for … [Read more...] about Eggnog Sheet Cake
Orange Clove Caramel Spread
Do you remember pushing whole cloves into an orange to use as a Christmas decoration? We called them pomanders and I just love the smell of orange peel and clove. It speaks to me of Christmas. With a pretty ribbon pinned to the top to tie to the tree or sitting on the counter fragrancing the kitchen. But pushing those cloves into the oranges with your thumb really hurt. I … [Read more...] about Orange Clove Caramel Spread
