The perfect treat for your Valentine:  Sugar Cookies with frosting.  Take it seriously and craft some cookie perfection or have some fun and get your kids involved.  Either way, the results are delicious. Sugar Cookies 1 pound butter 3 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 t vanilla 1 t salt 5 cups flour Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (5 minutes).  Add eggs, vanilla, salt and flour.  Mix just until combined. Refrigerate at least... 

Shepherd’s Pie, or affectionately refered to as Chinese Pie at my house growing up, is most definitely one of my comfort foods. There’s about 100 ways to make a Shepherd’s pie. If there’s meat in it and a layer of mashed potatoes on top, you’ve got Shepherd’s Pie. Whatever is added between the meat and potatoes is up to you. Here’s my version, I added garlic and herb cream cheese spread  to my mashed... 

I don’t make cakes very often, that is really Kate’s area of expertise, but I saw this recipe some time ago in a Pampered Chef cookbook. It looked so gorgeous and sounded so delicious I had to try it. I made it for my family’s Christmas Eve gathering. The recipe is much easier than it appears, and it was great because I was able to do the recipe in parts. I made the cake layers ahead, and filled the cake and decorated it, the... 

These are some of my favorite cookies and perfect for Holiday Parties or Gift Giving.  I made some for my daughter’s preschool teachers this year and will be making more over the next few days for neighbors, friends and some for me. I hope you enjoy this as much as our family does. Pecan Lace Cookies with Dark Chocolate 1/2 cup Finely Chopped Pecans ( I use a mini food processor) 1/3 cup Light Corn Syrup 4 T Unsalted Butter 1/3 Cup Light... 

These devilishly good treats are a holiday favorite. I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine years ago. I’ve made them ever since. This year Sophie proved to be an excellent oreo ball roller. It warmed my heart to see her appreciate the togetherness we shared making our holiday treats. Family and friends rave about these babies and beg for them every year. They taste so good and look so festive. I have to hide them every year so... 

Almond Snowball Cookies are always a favorite at Holiday Parties.  Easy and quick with the help of a food processor, you can make these cookies the day of the party and still have time to prepare yourself for the festivities.  Some recipes I develop myself, others I don’t mess with, as they are perfect the way they are.  This is one of those recipes.  Food Network has a great recipe I have been using for the past 5 years.  So, no need... 

Decadent, Easy, Gone!  These treats never last long in our house.  You don’t even have to turn on the oven to create these dark chocolate covered pretzels with toffee.  This is a great project for you and your kids to do together and delicious.  Yum!!! Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels with Toffee 12 Pretzel Rods 1/2 bag Dark Chocolate Chips, I use Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips, exclusively.  They are the best.  No question. 1/4 cup Heath... 

Over the next few days, we are going to feature some of our favorite recipes for the Holiday Season! The first one is for my family’s favorite: Pretzel Rolls. These are hard on the outside, soft on the inside, and insanely good. My father and I used to get Pretzel Rolls from a small European Bakery in town which closed soon after my Dad died. I thought I would never have that same taste again. But, now I can. I love to make these for... 

I’m still on my pumpkin kick. I’ve not been able to stop thinking about pumpkin spice flavored coffee! I have a Keurig coffee maker and Keurig does make a pumpkin spice K-cup, but alas with my busy mom schedule I have not made it to the one store in town that carries a large variety of K-cup flavors. As you can see my attempt at producing a pumpkin latte with no K-cups was a wash. Once again my slow cooker saved the day! I cannot take... 

I made these ghoulishly scary “bloody eyes” cakes for the little goblins in my life.  Super easy and fairly quick.  Use a mini muffin tin and your favorite cheesecake recipe, I used the recipe from Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms.  I let them set in the fridge overnight and topped them with cherry pie filling, 3 cherries each.  Place royal icing eyes on top to make them look spooky!  I would like to thank Gourmet Mom On-The-Go who...