But sometimes you want a dessert that’s a little more dressed up.  Enter: The Strawberry Short (Cup) Cake!  All the convenience of a cupcake with the pizazz of a grown-up dessert.  And still easy to make!

Strawberry Short (Cup) Cake Ingredients:

• One yellow cake prepared
• One large container whipped topping
• 3-4 pints of fresh strawberries, chopped
• 12 small/medium mason jars or clear glass tumblers

Strawberry Short (Cup) Cake Directions:

1.  Crumble cake into each jar until it is about one third full.
2. Add a layer of strawberries, a layer of whipped topping, and another layer of strawberries.
3. Crumble more cake until the jar is full.  Top with a dollop of whipped topping and a few strawberry pieces.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Love to be cheesy and get all fun and festive with your party foods? Well these treats will have you gleaming! Pink, Red, and sprinkles are the name of the game with these treats!

Image Credit 

Hearts

Of course Valentine’s Day is the Holiday of love and hearts are the universal symbol, so you can’t leave them out!  Make these clever heart shaped cupcakes by placing one marble between the cupcake pan and paper cupcake liner.  This trick will indent your cupcakes just enough to turn them into darling hearts.  Then ice to your “hearts” desire!

Use large heart shaped cookie cutters to draw attention to an ordinary pb & j or ham and cheese sandwich.  Tip: Also a great trick for a lunch box surprise.

Chocolate –covered EVERYTHING!

Pretzels, marshmallows on a stick, Oreos, strawberries, bananas, peanut butter sandwich crackers, rice crispy treats… The options are endless.  Just make sure you get the sprinkles on before the chocolate cools or drizzle your treats with beautiful pink icing! Gorgeous and perfect for any guest!

Image Credit 

Ok, you probably would like to see some healthy options here too. So use this simple combination to beautify your Valentine’s Party and offer a little nutrition too.  Chocolate, Strawberry Parfait are a perfect option.  In a pretty clear plastic punch cup, layer first granola, next strawberry yogurt, chocolate yogurt or pudding, followed by another layer of strawberry yogurt, and garnish with a fresh sliced strawberry. Tip: If you need help keeping the layers clean and even use a piping bag to layer the yogurt. Raspberries also make this such yummy goodness.

Drinks

Of course juice boxes are convenient, but try thinking outside the “juice” box. Use heart shaped ice cube trays or gelatin molds to freeze your favorite “red” juice.  Place ice cubes in cup pour lemonade over the top, makes a delicious fruity lemonade and turns ultra slushy as the ice begins to melt.

Image Credit 

Now that you have your treats under control it’s time for a little fun!

There is always pin the arrow on cupid, or jumbo tic-tac- hearts.  And you can find a ton of free coloring sheets online… but I just can’t get enough of this activity!

Image Credit 

Cut hearts from white paper and write love notes and secret messages  or pictures (for younger guests) on them with a white crayon, hide the hearts all over the party area. When the time comes tell your party guests to gather a few hearts and bring back to the party table. Using watercolors let guests paint the hearts they found and reveal the secret Valentine’s Day message.   Put some extra blank hearts aside so your guests can make their own secret messages to give to each other.

Paper crafts are always great at parties because they help keep the cost down so kids can do more than one.  Load up on construction paper, doilies, scrapbook paper, glue, and scissors and let the kids run with it.   Make a heart paper chain, valentine for a loved one,  mobile to hang in their room, or a fun origami heart (pictured above); use glitter pens or beads to add bling to the projects!

Suddenly, I had to stop and fix a sudden and unexpected sweets craving.  Strange.

With that out of the way, I can now share with you how to decorate your own Valentine cookies. Watch out for that mysterious craving, then come back and let me know your favorite ways to decorate cookies.

Instead of piping wording on, try using a stencil and baking spray to mist on the coloring pre-bake (Photo Credit: oskay on Flickr Creative Commons)

Decorate From the Inside Out

Thinking a bit outside the box – or frosting bag, as it were – cookie decorations aren’t limited to icing roses. This is especially true when decorating Valentine cookies. Sprinkle Bakes made some fantastic pinwheel cookies with two layers of dough rolled together, one of them colored pink and flavored with strawberry. With the outside rolled in sprinkles before baking, these are ready to go right out of the oven!

Love messages but not piping? Pictured above, stencils and a baking spray are used to spritz color onto the dough to leave a sweet (or silly!) message for your Valentine.

I have one Valentine’s Day tradition; every year I make a heart-shaped, strawberry cake. They started out as cakes from box mixes. And then as my baking prowess progressed, I began trying my hand at “from scratch” recipes. This year, since cupcakes seem to be “all the rage”, I thought I’d mix things up a bit and do strawberry cupcakes.

As with most new ventures these days, my journey began on Pinterest. After pinning several ideas, I settled on two criteria: the cake part had to use fresh strawberries and there had to be a chocolate element. I settled on these cupcakes from Annie Eats, this frosting from Martha Stewart Living, and these chocolate filigree hearts also from Martha Stewart Living.

What resulted was a moist, creamy, fresh tasting delicacy! The use of the fresh strawberries is the key to making these. And with the addition of the chocolate embellishments, they truly took on the taste of a chocolate covered strawberry!

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate Embellishments

Strawberry Cupcake Ingredients
(Adapted from Annie Eats)

• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped strawberries

Strawberry Cupcake Directions
makes 20-24 cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. (Note: If you are using a decorative liner, considered lining that with a plain white cupcake liner. By doing so, your decorative liner will stay bright and colorful instead of blending into the cupcake.)
2. Chop your strawberries into small pieces, set aside.
3. Measure flour, salt and baking soda into a medium bowl. Stir with fork to combine and set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until incorporated.
6. Add buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat, mixing on medium speed until mixture is well integrated.
7. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined.
8. Gently stir in chopped strawberries.
9. Fill cupcake wells 1/2 – 2/3 full with batter (more if you want “muffin tops”, I wanted a fairly flat top, so mine were about 1/2 full).
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
11. Cool completely on a wire rack.

See how to make the frosting and chocolate embellishments on the next page:

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching!

This year Valentine’s Day is on a weekday.

How about making a heartfelt, homemade dinner that is also quick to make?!?

Pizza is the answer.

Making a batch of dough isn’t hard at all, either. It just requires some waiting time while it rises. If you don’t have time for that, you can always buy pre-made dough!

Easy-peasy!

For this Valentine’s Day dinner, you have the option of two pizzas:

• I Love You Pizza
• Heart shaped pepperoni pizza
• Will You Be My Heart-ichoke Pizza
• White artichoke pizza

See how to make them on the next page…

Click here to view the embedded video.

So while my boys are busy doing their manly, testosterone-fueled guy-things and arguing about who can do more push-ups, or who can stuff the most buns in their mouth, I can rest assured that Ball Park hot dogs will help me keep them full and happy.

Ball Park wants to help you feed the men in your life too, so head over to the Ball Park Facebook Page. Everyone who ‘likes’ the Ball Park Facebook Page will be offered a $1.00 off coupon! 

We want to hear from you!  Tell us here or on the Ball Park Facebook page, what crazy things do your men do while bonding?  Do you understand it, or are you shaking your head in confusion like me?

*This is a sponsored post.  Ball Park product and additional incentives were provided to me.  All opinions stated are my own.

I can’t think about chocolate cake without also thinking about this comedy skit from Bill Cosby. Let’s watch it shall we?

Click here to view the embedded video.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, it’s time to talk cake! January 27th is National Chocolate Cake Day and the possibilities for celebrating are endless.  There is no wrong way to indulge on this great day. You could even eat it for breakfast, because as Bill points out, “Eggs! Eggs are in chocolate cake!” It’s health food, really.

My go-to chocolate cake recipe is the one found on the back of a container of Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa, Hershey’s “Especially Dark” Chocolate Cake. It makes a scrumptious cake that is so delicate and moist you’re actually surprised by it’s rich, dark chocolate taste.

Also found on the back of the container is a recipe for dark chocolate mousse. I decided to go all out with this cake, so I made the mousse and spread it between the layers. Dark chocolate frosting on top with some ribbons of mousse and chocolate shavings and curls; we’re talking total chocolate nirvana!

That’s because Valentine’s Day is almost here, and love is in the air!  You could celebrate with a romantic dinner with the one you love, or a night out on the town with the other singles in your life, or host a Valentine’s Party of your own and be sure to include everyone!

How to Host a Valentine’s Day Party

Make a guest list.  Don’t forget babysitters will be hard to find on February 14th, so consider making the event a family affair, or host the party on the weekend before Valentine’s Day.

Host a party with a purpose. Sure a night with friends is fun, but a night with friends working for a common purpose will always give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.  Invite the widows and widowers of your local church to a nice brunch cooked up with your friends.  Show love to others by collect items for troops, a local animal shelter, or other community service.

Decorations.  Pink and Red Hearts are always a safe bet, but feel free to freshen things up a bit by using a variety of red fruits(apples, strawberries, raspberries, and pomegranets) in sparkling glass containers.  Replace balloons with large paper lanters for drama over a table.

Food and refreshments are always center stage at any party.  This is no exception, make it your goal to add a bit of love to each dish.  Heart shaped cookies, Pizza with Pepperoni hearts, of course you have to have chocolate covered strawberries.

Embellish drink containers, stemware, and utensils with beautiful ribbons and tags.

Don’t send your guests home empty handed!  Share some more love by setting up a Candy Bar and have guest fill beautiful pouches with the candies of their choice, conversation hearts are a must here!  Or thank guests for donations and hard work on a party with a purpose by sending a “newspaper” including updates from the “purpose” and pictures of the party.

image courtesy of Info Barrel

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in store bought whipped cream?  I would much rather take the ten minutes in takes to make a homemade version than feed that stuff to my family.  And that is literally all it takes.  It’s so easy that I make it every time I bake a pie, batch of scones or pot of hot cocoa.

There are so many different combinations to make.  For a basic homemade whipped cream, I use this recipe:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Appetizers, Drinks, Main Dishes – Super Bowl Sunday is ALL about the food.

Sierra Mist MockTails

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If you need a beverage that will appeal to young and old these mocktails will enchant everyone with their bubbly deliciousness.

I consider myself a foodie wannabe.  Someone who loves food, wants to know more about food and food preparation, and totally preoccupied on celebrating things like National Bread Month and National Cheese Day.

To celebrate this year’s National Cheese Day we will be Hosting a wine & cheese Party.  I am so anxious to have friends over, pop open a variety of delicious wines and taste a variety of cheeses, and also to enhance my foodie “wannabe” knowledge and palette. Something new is always more fun when your sharing it with friends.

Admittedly, I am not a fan of measuring ingredients. My husband laughs as I throw in a handful here or a sprinkle or two there. While this is okay for my own creations and skillet meals, it doesn’t always cut it when it comes to baking and more delicate combinations. In many cooking scenarios, knowing how to measure ingredients properly could mean the difference between “pretty good” and “knock your socks off.”

Dry Ingredients

Flour and other dry ingredients can be deceiving. Measuring the wrong way can give you more than twice the amount you need. Spices and seasonings are measured best by pouring them into a dish and measuring from there, since the containers are often too small to scoop from.

To properly measure dry ingredients, stir them once or twice before measuring so that you avoid packing them in. Flour especially should be measured with care. Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup loosely.

Always level off a measurement of dry ingredients with the back of a knife or something similar to ensure that you have just what you need.

Liquid Ingredients

Newer measuring containers allow you to see the amount from the top, but traditional glass containers require getting eye to eye with the line. If you lift the cup or glass up to your eye level, you will likely shake it or hold it unevenly. Set it on the counter, squat down and make sure your liquid is exactly level with the line.

Miscellaneous Measurement Tips

-Brown sugar has to be packed in
-Check to be sure ingredients like nuts are chopped, sliced, crushed or solid as they are in the recipe, then measure them that way
- Sift powdered sugar to get the lumps out before measuring
- Lightly grease measuring cups before measuring peanut butter or other sticky ingredients and they will slide right out
- Measure over a bowl, but NOT the bowl you are mixing with. You don’t want to spill into your batter, but you can spill into an empty bowl and just dump it right back into the container

Do you measure exactly or just wing it, like I tend to? When do you find it is most important to measure properly?

• weight loss
• organization
• healthier eating
• more ‘me’ time

How about Food Safety?

One of the most important things that you can do for yourself and your family this New Year is to ensure that you’re knowledgeable about food safety tips.

One of the most important ways to ensure that the food that you serve your family is safe to eat, is to make sure that it has been cleaned, that it has been kept separate from contaminants, make sure that it’s cooked properly and that when you’re ready to store it, it has been properly cooled to prevent bacteria growth.

No worries though, because I have this simple Crock Pot Marinara Sauce Recipe made from ingredients that are always kicking around in the pantry.  I like to serve mine with whole grain pasta and two minute garlic knots!

Crock Pot Marinara Sauce Recipe Ingredients:

• 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces each
• 1 can tomato paste, 12 ounces
• 1 medium/large sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced (I use jarred)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 to 1 cup Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Crock Pot Marinara Sauce Recipe Directions

1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT brown sugar and Parmesan cheese in the crock pot.  Give a quick stir and cook on high for 4 -6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
2. Puree sauce to desired consistency using an immersion blender (or by carefully transferring to an upright blender).
3. Stir in brown sugar and Parmesan cheese.
4. Enjoy!

Give yourself some time off from daily cooking by freezing meals ahead of time.   Did you know that freezing meals will save you money too?

Too often things come up and I am not left with enough time to cook a dish that I had planned and resort to take-out instead.  By having meals in the freezer that only need to be re-heated, I am much more likely to heat that up than load all of the kids into the car to pick up take-out.

By spending one day in the kitchen cooking and baking, you can:

• Take a night or two off each week from standing in the kitchen cooking
• Alternate dishes every night for a week
• Have meals prepared ahead of time for:
• breakfast for hectic mornings
• birth of a baby
• surgery
• illness
• nights when kids have sports practice or extra curricular activities
• for a babysitter to heat up for the kids
• instead of cooking for one
• to have pre-made meals so you don’t need to food shop prior to moving house or going on vacation (or returning from vacation)

Tips for getting started:

1. Clean out your freezer.  Check that items don’t have freezer burn, consolidate packages and dispose of items that you froze with good intention of using, but most likely never will.  Set aside some space for frozen meals.
2. Read this article by the USDA on Freezing and Food Safety.
3. Write a meal plan of dishes that freeze well and food shop accordingly.
4. Stock up on Freezer bags and containers.
5. As you freeze meals don’t forget to include a label with the date the meal was frozen, when it needs to be used by, and any heating instructions that will come in handy for older children, the babysitter, or your spouse if they are wanting to re-heat a meal when you are not home.

Here are a few recipes to get you started:

• Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins
• Crock-Pot Pork Mole
• Creamy Onion Garlic Bread
• Swedish Meatballs
• Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam
• Chicken Puffs

Other helpful tips:

• How to Preserve Fall Produce – this article has a lot of great tips for freezing fruit and vegetables.  This is fabulous information for when you have leftover veggies or fruit, have stocked up at the farmers market or are wanting to preserve your favorite seasonal produce.
• 10 Tips for Perfect Homemade Chicken Stock – chicken stock can be used for so many dishes and freezes well.
• It’s Basil Time – tips for freezing basil. This would work well for other herbs too as you can read in the article How to Preserve Summer’s Savory Herbs.
• Freezing Beans – there’s a fabulous recipe for Black Bean Corn Salsa Quesadillas, but the second paragraph focuses on cooking and freezing beans instead of using store-bought canned ones.
• Freezing Pesto – pesto is a staple in our pantry.  It is my lazy dinner dish that I can whip up quickly and toss in some penne and top with parmesan.  This article has a delicious recipe for Pasta with Chicken and Artichokes but will also give you great tips for freezing pesto.  Now you can make batches and freeze it for later.

But, who says you have to eat raw broccoli and brussel sprouts all day to be healthy???

Not me!

These belgium waffles are packed with whole grains and protein to keep you full and healthy.

And why not top your waffles with some fresh fruit and throw in a side of bacon for some EXTRA protein?

This full balanced meal (besides not having a lick of vegetable) is a great family favorite…made healthier!

Give it a go! You’re family won’t be able to tell it’s good for them!

Whole Wheat Waffles

adapted from Baker Bettie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cup reduced fat milk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

How-To

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, protein powder, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Beat the egg yolks, milk and butter together.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir.
4. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into the batter.
5. Cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions.

Servings: 2 belgium waffles

Note: Recipe can be doubled or tripled to make more waffles.

One of my favorite chocolate cake recipes is an old Greek family recipe.  We do a lot of fasting in our Faith and so this recipe happens to be completely dairy free, so if you have any dairy allergies, or happen to be a vegan, you’re especially going to love this.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. white vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all dry ingredients well.
3. Make a well in the center of your bowl and add the wet ingredients.
4. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Now, what really makes this cake stand apart from the rest is what you’re going to do with these next ingredients.

• 1/2 cup margarine (or butter), melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup coconut

Mix them all together and as soon as you take the cake out of the oven and it’s still hot, spread this nut mixture evenly across the top.

Next, turn your broiler on low and broil for 3-5 minutes.  Keep a close eye on it because it can crystallize very quickly.  I’ve let this cake go up in flames more than once, so when I say watch it, I mean open the door and stand there. 

When you see the mixture melted evenly across the entire cake, it’s ready.  Remove it from the oven and let cool completely before serving.

chocolate cake image credit

Meal Planning Preparation

The best weapon in a meal planner’s arsenal is a recipe binder. Find a three-ring binder and fill it with page protectors. Grab a piece of paper and make a list of your family’s favorite meals, including main and side dishes, and where the recipes for each of these meals can be found. It is great if you can get your family involved in making this list so that you can include everyone’s favorite meals.  As you put together your list, put any loose recipes in a page protector in your binder.

Next, grab a calendar for the coming week and put any activities for the week on the calendar. Once you know how busy each day will be and who will be home for dinner, you can go through your favorite meals and assign one to each day. On busy days, you might want to use some of these time saving tricks.

One-Pot Meals

Wintertime is a great season for meal planning because hearty, cold-weather meals lend themselves to the busy cook’s best weapon–the one-pot meal.  There is nothing better than having your protein, grain, and vegetable cook at the same time!

An easy way to put together a one-pot meal in the slow cooker, and you can find some great suggestions for slow-cooker meals here.

Soups and stews are excellent choices for one-pot meals. Try this minestrone soup for a delicious, healthy meal.  If you have extra soup you can easily freeze it for a second meal or use it as a side dish for tomorrow’s dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium sized leeks, cleaned thoroughly, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced in thin rings
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• ½ small purple cabbage, chopped
• ½ cup uncooked brown rice, rinsed
• ½ cup uncooked lentils, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 8 cups chicken broth or water
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Add the carrots, celery, tomatoes, cabbage, brown rice, lentils, bay leaf, salt, and thyme. Stir in the broth or water.
3. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for one hour.
4. Serve the soup with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Each family’s meal plan is unique and finding the right schedule for you can be part of the fun of meal planning. Don’t let a desire for creating the “perfect” meal plan get in the way of doing what you can to make providing healthy food for you and your family.  Happy New Year!

Snowflakes, twinkle lights, lace, and evergreen garland all come to mind when I begin to think of a winter wedding. But more importantly what comes to mind are the flavors that accompany the winter season. Thoughts of mint, cocoa, butterscotch, pumpkin, and sugared cranberries are whirling through my mind at this very minute. Embrace these flavors at your wedding and add a few personal touches to keep your guests oohing and ahhing all night long.

Welcome

As your guests arrive, welcome them in from the cold with a Hot Chocolate Bar. Hot Chocolate can be made alcoholic by adding vanilla vodka or crème de la mint or as a traditional non-alcoholic drink. Offer add- ins such as marshmallows, whipped cream, and mint stir sticks displayed in beautiful glass jars. Some Great Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipes to get you started.

Cocktail Hour

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean all your drinks need to be warm. A great punch or cocktail with a seasonal twist can get your winter wedding reception hopping with fun. I love the idea of these festive drinks. Add a frosted glass to make it all that more festive. Cranberry Martini , Mint Mojitos, Butterscotch Martini More Seasonal Drinks (Alcoholic & Non Alcoholic)

Soup Bar

Because cold weather can be whipping outside the bridal party may want to serve up some extra warmth for their guests. A Soup Bar may be just the key. Soups bars provide a variety of soups and stews for guests to pick and choose. Clam chowder, minestrone, tomato basil, and gumbo are excellent choices to offer, and can be accompanied by small bread bowls, Paninis or other grilled sandwiches, or meat pies. Also make sure to offer original toppings such as crackers, seasoned croutons, fresh herbs, and shredded cheeses. Serve in glass mugs with a skewer of fresh veggies or grilled sandwiches across the top.

Make it Miniature

Winter screams comfort food. Offer guests a taste of home at your wedding by packing those flavors into miniature bites. Macaroni and Cheese Bites, Pumpkin Pie Tart lets, mini chicken pot pies, meatloaf muffins, and fried ravioli, are all flavors that will bring a smile to the face of each guest.

A Treat To-Go

Favors for guests are traditional gestures to thank guests for joining you on your special day. Send your guests on their way with a warm token of thanks by offering personalized to-go cups, to be filled at a drink bar on the way out the door. Some drinks to consider might be gourmet coffee or tea, hot chocolate or hot cider. Make sure all the appropriate sweeteners and garnishes are offered as well. Sugar, artificial sweetener, cream, half and half, mint, cinnamon sticks, and chocolate shavings are a few to consider. Also consider offering a seasonal signature drink from the wedding couple like an eggnog latte, or peppermint mocha.

Image credit:

soup image

Wild Olive

Clean Up & Clear Out

There is no reason to start a new year in your kitchen while hanging onto last year’s clutter. Think about it – what once was a paper you sat down on the counter the other day becomes clutter that has been there since last year. It’s gotta go! Check their expiration dates, think about whether you really need those, and decide whether that belongs in the kitchen.

Reevaluate Your Kitchen Toys

Growing up, we always teased my mom because she loved to have kitchen gadgets, but she rarely used them. So, be honest with yourself, do you really need to make corn-shaped cornbread? When was the last time you used your mini donut maker? Everyone will use their kitchen gadgets differently, so don’t worry about passing it along if it hasn’t found much love in your house. If you aren’t using it, there is someone else who will. Let them enjoy it!

Focus Your Kitchen on Cooking

Family Game Night doesn't have to take over the kitchen the next day! (Photo Credit to LifeSupercharger on Flickr)

Now that your kitchen is decluttered and clear of the stuff that is eating up space and energy, you can get to the fun part! While it is nice to enjoy a family game or do some crafting around the kitchen table, don’t let other things take over the kitchen. Any creative space needs to be one where you can focus. If you need to get some storage for games or crafts or whatever tends to take over the kitchen, don’t wait! Start this New Year with a kitchen that you can create in, that you enjoy cooking in.

Consider a Command Center

No matter how hard I try, paperwork and to-do lists and calendars always seem to find their way into the kitchen. Other things that sneak in just need to be moved out, but I think this is one thing to roll with. Putting a command center in your kitchen with in/out boxes for mail that needs to be filed, a calendar of family events, homework sorters for the kids, etc, can help you to not only manage the chaos but also direct your meal planning realistically.

Channel your inner organization guru! Keep calendars, meal plans, chore charts, etc all together. (Photo Credit to EvelynGiggles on Flickr)

Be Realistic – Take Baby Steps!

I think so many resolutions fail because they step beyond ambitious and into the realm of outlandish. Many of them amount to something like “Become a completely different person.” You don’t need a new you or even a new kitchen. Both of you are lovely just the way you are.  Instead of trying to be or have something different, start this year in your kitchen with a resolve to push away the clutter and needless chaos so that you can see the beauty, too.

Pumpkin Pudding Ingredients:

• 1 can pure pumpkin, 15 ounces
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• optional garnishes: whipped cream, graham crackers, gingerbread cookies

Pumpkin Pudding Directions:

1. Add ingredients to a bowl and combine with an electric mixer until well blended.
2. Serve immediately, or chill to serve later!

[Serves 4-6]

There’s nothing better than the smell of a yeast bread rising in your kitchen.

And it’s an easy and healthy bread recipe, too!

This recipe is a fun way to get kids involved in making a healthy version of their favorite sandwich, too! If they help make the bread, they are more likely to want to eat it!

As an added bonus, the method of rolling the dough before putting it in the loaf pan gives a beautiful swirl to the bread. Homemade whole wheat bread is definitely a must have every week in our house…and should be in yours too!

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

adapted from The Southern Heritage Breads Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water (should feel like warm bath water)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour

How-To

1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar into the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy on the top.
2. In the meantime, Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt, canola oil and flours into a medium bowl.
3. Once the yeast has proofed, add it to the bowl and stir until blended into a soft dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
5. Knead the dough for 3-5 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a well greased, large bowl, covering the whole ball of dough with the cooking spray.
7. Cover and let sit in a warm draft-less space for an hour and a half. I heat a bowl of water for 5 minutes in the microwave to make a warm humid place. Once the water is done, quickly take out the water and place the dough bowl in the microwave.
8. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
9. Roll out the dough to a 14″x7″ rectangle.
10. Rolling from the narrow side, tightly roll the dough into a log.
11. Pinch the sides of the dough together and place the log seam-side down into a greased loaf pan.
12. Cover and let sit in a warm, draft-less space for an hour.
13. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
14. Uncover the loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until lightly browned and hollow when tapped.
15. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
16. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

Maybe it’s the urban myth that says Bloody Marys help cure hangovers or maybe it’s because Bloody Marys are popular brunch drinks, but whatever the reason, New Year’s Day can be aptly celebrated by toasting with and partaking of a Bloody Mary cocktail.

At its most basic, a Bloody Mary is simply tomato juice mixed with vodka. And it’s that simplicity that makes it one of the most versatile cocktails around. You can dress it up and mix it up to suit your personal tastes.

The Basic Bloody Mary

Ingredients:
1 ½ ounces vodka
½ cup tomato juice
2 tsp lemon juice
Worcestershire and/or Tabasco to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 celery stalk and 1 lemon wedge for garnish – optional

How to Prepare:
Combine vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire and/or Tabasco, salt, and pepper in a cocktail shaker with some ice. Shake mixture well and strain into a tall glass (with or without ice, your choice). Garnish with the celery stalk and lemon wedge.

You can also make pitchers of Bloody Marys to serve with brunch. Increase your vodka to 1 ½ cups, your tomato juice to 1 quart (32 oz) and your lemon juice to 2 Tbs (or about the juice of one lemon). Add the seasonings to taste and stir in a pitcher with ice. You can garnish your pitcher and/or the individual serving glasses.

Bloody Mary Variations

Now that you have a basic, no frills Bloody Mary recipe, it’s time to make it your own. Here are several ways you can add flavor and twists that will make your Bloody Marys talked about well into the New Year!

Alcohol variations:
• Use flavor infused vodkas to add a distinction. Try bacon, herbal, citrus or jalapeño.
• Substitute the vodka for beer, wine (try Cabernet Sauvignon), sake, tequila, sherry, whiskey, rum, gin, basically pretty much anything you can think of!

Make it wild:
• Ramp up the Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce)
• Habanero pepper sauce
• Wasabi
• Horseradish (pure, not the creamy kind)
• Cheyenne pepper
• Pepper infused vodka
• Jalapeños

Make it mild:
• Mix in orange juice for a twist on the classic Screwdriver cocktail
• Use lime juice instead of lemon juice
• Try savory flavorings such as: celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, or herbs (try Italian seasoning for international flair).

Make it family friendly:
Replace the vodka with 1-2 tablespoons of pickle juice and increase the lemon or lime juice to taste.
Omit the vodka altogether.
Omit the vodka, stir the other ingredients together and top off with club soda for a fun, fizzy drink.

However you choose to make it, with a Bloody Mary in hand you have the perfect drink for celebrating the beginning of a new year! Cheers!

This week, I’m going to give you my own original recipe for what I’ve dubbed the Misty Moscato.  It’s light.  It’s delicious.  And it’s pink.  What more can you ask for?

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. Sierra Mist Natural
• 2 oz. Pink Moscato
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. cherry juice
• fresh blueberries and mint to garnish

Directions:

1. In a shaker filled with ice, mix fresh lime juice and cherry juice (from Maraschino cherry jar).
2. Add Moscato.
3. Shake all ingredients well and strain into a large glass filled with ice.
4. Top with Sierra Mist Natural.
5. Garnish with fresh blueberries and mint for a holiday twist (optional).

To help you with your next soiree, Sierra Mist is giving away a gift pack that includes:

•  one shaker
• drink garnishes and sugars
• four party glasses
• $50 American Express gift card

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment giving us your very own Sierra Mist Natural cocktail/mocktail recipe! The most creative recipe will win!  Be sure to leave your email in the comment. 
2. Stop by and “like” Sierra Mist on Facebook for more great recipes, and follow their updates on Twitter!  You can also share your recipe on their Facebook page!  And while you’re there, be sure to “like” the Blissfully Domestic page too!
   

Giveaway open to US residents, 21 years of age and over. Ends January 12th, 11:59pm. Before you finish grocery shopping for your New Year’s Eve bash, be sure to stop by and check out these unique recipes from some of my favorite foodie bloggers:

At Pizzazzerie, you can find a delicious recipe for whipping up a Sparkling Apple Mist!

Hop over to Home Ec 101 to check out their recipe for Cran-Raspberry Mist Martinis.

Cranberry Cuties would be great served any time of year!  This Week for Dinner created a fun and colorful mocktail that everyone is sure to enjoy!

Do these look fabulous or what?  For the recipe for these Cranberry Kiss Mocktails, do stop by and visit Jenna over at Eat Drink Pretty.

How lovely do these Bright Peppermintini’s look?  And they’re made with Peppermint Schnapps!  Head over to A Subtle Revelry for the full recipe.

Jenny of Everyday Occasions created the Moscow Mist Cocktails.  She put a spin on one of Oprah’s favorite drinks, the Moscow Mule, and made a fun and more affordable version using Sierra Mist Natural.  This looks absolutely delicious!

Visit The Reluctant Entertainer to see step-by-step instructions on how to make a Pomegranate Holiday Drink!

Angela shares a Sweet Success Strawberry Cocktail to ring in happiness in the New Year at Untrained Housewife.

Amy of Living Locurto concocted a Brazilian Mimosa!  It looks fabulous!

The holidays aren’t over yet!  Check out this recipe for Chris-mist Cocktails from Thoughtfully Simple.  Serve these at your New Year’s Eve bash to add a festive flair to your party!

Once we’ve recovered from all the business of the holidays, we’ll soon find ourselves planning for the next one.  Valentine’s Day.  And Kim of The Celebration Shoppe has created a Valentine Party Punch to help with our party planning!

Disclaimer: I have partnered with Sierra Mist for this sponsored post.  They’ve provided me with recipes and compensation, but the opinions expressed are my own.

With New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, thoughts turn towards traditions around the food and drinks served on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and the superstitions that surround them.

In Spain, at Midnight on New Year’s Eve, they eat 12 grapes – one for each stroke of the clock and each month of the year.  If all 12 grapes were sweet – all 12 months would be sweet.  If the 5th grape were bitter or sour, then it was believed that May would be a rocky month.

On New Year’s Day, if you live in the South, you’re going to be very familiar with Black Eyed Peas.

Black Eyed Peas are round (like coins) so they are believed to bring financial gain to whomever eats them on New Year’s Day.

Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe

• 4 to 5 C Fresh Black Eyed Peas- ready to cook – (soaked overnight or quick soak method)
• 5 slices of thick cut bacon
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 C broth (you pick)
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a (cast iron, preferred) Dutch Oven – cook bacon until crisp – add in onion and saute’ until soft.
2. Add in garlic and simmer until fragrant
3. Add in broth, peas and salt and pepper and bring to a boil
4. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and let cook until the peas are tender (start checking at 30 minutes)

On New Year’s Day in Germany, they eat pancakes for financial blessing in the New Year, as they are round like coins.

Cooked Greens are also consumed in many countries on New Year’s Day since they are green and leafy, like paper money.

In many countries, sweets like cakes and doughnuts are eaten, since their sweetness is thought to indicate a sweet New Year on the horizon.

There are also countries where symbolic tokens are baked into the cakes and whatever token appears in your slice is thought to predict what will happen to you in the New Year.

This barely covers all the different traditions and foods around the world, but I thought it would be nice to share some you may not have heard of.

Do you and your family have any New Year’s traditions that surround food?  If you do, please share them with me here.

Fireworks Image Credit

Grapes Image Credit