HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Yet another New Year's Eve spent at home, just the way we like it!

For the past three years we have spend our New Years Eve at home. I make a surf and turf dinner, we drink something tasty and then watch movies. May sound lame and boring to some, but to us it's heaven. After a busy Christmas it's so nice to not have to make plans and to just stay home. I half thought about joining our other friends at Octavia and John's house this year, but that didn't happen. After dinner and a few drinks we were in for the night. I almost made it to mid-night this year but I fell asleep about 11:05. I awoke at the strike of mid-night to Tim jumping on me screaming HAPPY NEW YEAR! It was a great night and I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

Here is a photo of our New Years feast.

Cookie Bake 2009

This year we had the largest turn out yet! We had 14 girls and 11 different holiday treats. Along with eating snacks and baking cookies, we played rob your neighbor. However, we forgot to do the robbing. Doh!

All in all, I think it was a success. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and all the cookies and treats were amazing! Thanks to everyone who attended!

Merry Christmas.

My dear ol' Dad

This is one of my favorite pictures of my pop when he was just a wee little boy (he's the cute little guy with the dark hair). I am so blessed to have such an amazing father. Thanks dad for all you do.
Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A few pictures of a wonderful Thanksgiving.














A Simple Chicken Potpie

Finally another cookbook challenge. This time I wanted to find a recipe that would allow me to use up the leftover veggies in the fridge. What better recipe than a chicken potpie. Plus, I have never made a potpie, so it sounded like a good challenge to me.

I choose the potpie recipe from the Real Simple, Meals Made Easy book. This book, along with the magazine, is awesome. The recipe was very "simple" and easy to follow. I did however change it a little and make it my own.




I did not use mushrooms, but I did add potatoes and celery. Also, it called for 4 cups of chicken broth but I only had 3. This did not seem to cause any problem.



Instead of store bought pie crust I used a sheet of puff pastry that I had in the freezer. I even got a little silly and cut little hearts out of the leftover dough.


All in all I think this recipe went pretty well. Tim had two bowls so it must have tasted okay. The presentation wasn't quite what I would have liked it to be but for a simple potpie, I think it was a success.

A Thoughtful Gift

A few weeks ago my company had a department meeting at our corporate office in Bloomington, IL. As part of the meeting we took a tour and visited an area that showcased a lot of State Farm nostalgia. Someone called me over to see something in the case. They said something like "this is right up your alley, you're going to love this". Low and behold, it was a cookbook! As you know, I heart cookbooks. And this one was adorable! It was gold, shaped like an apple and titled All American Apple Cookbook. I have no idea what it has to do with State Farm but I loved it.

A friend of mine was standing near while I was admiring the book and said, "hey, I think I had that book at one time". The next thing I know, the cookbook is being delivered to me as a gift.

My friend Linda is in the process of moving and while packing she stumbled upon the cookbook. She is always doing nice things for me, and I am ever so thankful, but this gift means so much. I can't thank her enough.

So...here it is, my newest cookbook. I can't wait to try out one of her recipes.


It was a chilly Halloween but it was toasty by the fire.

This year we hosted a Halloween party. Every one's costumes were very creative and the spooky treats were equally as awesome.

























Halloween was fun but now it's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving!! :)