Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year's Eve!

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Ring in the New Year with this delicious Appetizer and Dessert Round-up.  

There is something for everyone on your party list.

Sweet, Savory, Beverages, and more...

Wishing you a New Year's Eve filled with great food, friends, family, and memories. May you be safe in your travels for today and tomorrow as you ring in the New Year with loved ones and friends.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Decadent Cream Cheese Pound Cake

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Oh my gosh you guys, I have found the most amazing Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe!

I have been looking for a pound cake recipe for a long time and I really just wanted a plain vanilla one.  I have many recipes for flavored bundt type cakes but had a really hard time finding a vanilla one.

I was at my Auntie's a few weeks ago and she had made a delicious Pumpkin Bundt from Joy of Baking website and told me to check it out.

So I did and the recipes I found....Oh my,  I can't wait to try them all.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

Here are some wonderful ideas for Christmas morning breakfast or brunch.  You could even serve these the day after Christmas for company that's still in town.   Enjoy!

Monday, December 23, 2013

Frosted Sugar Cookies

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Everyone needs a great go to sugar cookie recipe, so I'm sharing this one with you.

I've been making these cookies for years; they're my go-to cut out cookies for all the holidays.

This is the perfect sugar cookie recipe because it doesn't puff up at all, which is crucial in a cutout cookie.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

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Last week on Facebook I found this recipe for the cutest pinwheel cookies from Walking on Sunshine and knew I had to try them.

These are a very easy cookie to make and you can use any color food coloring gel you want to make them festive for any occasion.  I chose to make mine red and white for Christmas; the original ones were green and white which were also pretty.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Ranger Cookies

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I love heirloom recipes that are handed down from generation to generation.

This is a cookie recipe that I got from my mom that came from her grandma (my Great Grandmother) who I can remember going and visiting when I was really, really young.  I'm talking 3 or 4 maybe 5.

My Great Grandmother Martin lived in Fresno on a farm when my mom was growing up and she used to go with her sister during the summer months to visit. Mom says she was a great cook and has several of her recipes. This is one of my favorites.

I only remember her in her late years living across the street from my Grandmother in a convalescent home and visiting her.  She was the tiniest little lady I've ever seen and always had a smile for us.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

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I love teriyaki chicken and I have a great Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs recipe but the weather isn't always friendly enough to brave the outdoors in the Fall and Winter for grilling.

So the solution was to come up with a baked version and boy was this one a hit!  The whole family, and friends who were here, loved this meal.  Not only was this dish amazing to eat it was really simple to make.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Spritz Cookies

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Classic Spritz Cookies are the quintessential Christmas cookie to me.

I remember the old copper cookie press with a twist handle our grandmothers used and then the newer silver/metal ones with the gun like grip and squeeze handle our mothers used. All the way to the newest kind today which is most likely made of plastic.

These cookie presses come with several different shapes to use and the best Spritz cookie recipe is right on the box.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Gingerdoodles

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Gingerdoodles...

The name alone brings a smile to my face :)

These are my new all time favorite cookies and I got the idea from my friend Veronica over at MorningNooNight who posted some delicious looking Snickersnaps on my Facebook page a few weeks ago.  I'm always looking for new and inventive ways to make cookies so I knew I had to try this type of cookie.

I already had a great Ginger (Molasses Crinkles) Cookie and Snickerdoodle recipe so I used mine and renamed the cookie Gingerdoodles!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Tropical Pineapple Coconut Bars


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Do you like all things tropical?  I sure do, especially the whole pineapple coconut combination.

It might very well be my favorite combination so far!

Today's recipe is one I have been making for probably more than 10 years.

These bars are one my Mother-in-law found in some cookbook in my kitchen years ago and made them because as she always says "I grew up having dessert after every meal", lol, and she does love her baked goods.

I will apologize in advance to the cookbook [owner] they were found in because I can't really remember who's they are, lol.  I collected those Pillsbury ones they keep by the check stand in the grocery store for YEARS so that's most likely where this recipe came from.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Swiss Steak


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I love comfort food.  Especially in the Fall and Winter.

I break out my Dutch ovens and my Crock Pot and go to town on cooking scrumptious meals.

This is a dinner my mom always cooked when we were growing up and I haven't made it in years.

I was in the mood for something slow cooked which mashed potatoes and gravy the other night so I remembered this recipe and oh my was it delicious!

Does Swiss Steak take you back to when you were growing up?

What do you remember your mom cooking as a comfort food that you'd like to see again?  Let me know; I'd love to try and re-create some of the dishes.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Winter Wonderland Link Party & Giveaway

Well It's time again for another wonderful link party and this time we're including a give away too!

Friday, November 29, 2013

Peppermint Kiss Cookies

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go....

Especially out here in blogland; everyone is gearing up for the holiday season with new recipes to share in time for you to try them too.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving from The Day Family.

As we celebrate this day I wish you all good food and great memories with family and friends and may you have safe travels wherever you may go.

xoxo,
Michelle

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

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Have you ever had a Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll?

They're really, really yummy!

But you know what? These are really, really yummy too!

I found this recipe over at Life in the Lofthouse blog.  Have you been by to see Holly? She has an amazing blog with lots and lots of yummy recipes.  Stop by and tell her I said hi :)

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Classic Pumpkin Pie

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Out of all the holiday pies out there I think I love a Classic Pumpkin Pie the most.  It is my hubby's favorite and my daughter has a fondness for pumpkin pie too.

This is a very easy pie to make and I've been using the recipe right off the Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin for years.

I know some people like to add nuts, or sweetened condensed milk or other items but I use the Famous recipe as is and it turns out every time!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Homemade Chili

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Well Fall has officially arrived!  We've finally been having some blustery days and the nights are downright freezing!

When the weather get so cold I like to put on a big pot of homemade chili and bake up a batch of cornbread to go along.

The past few weeks have had me making lots of yummy comfort foods.  I made a BIG pot of my delicious Chicken Enchilada Soup, a smaller pot of my scrumptious
Chicken Tortellini Soup and now this hearty Homemade Chili to go along with all the meals to keep you nice and toasty when it's cold outside.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Praline Topping


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With the holiday's around the corner I thought it was time to make some pie!

I love classic pumpkin pie and so does my family but I've been wanting to make a sweet potato pie for years.  I think it's a southern pie but who says us westerners can't make great southern food too?!

I already had a great recipe in my Sweet Potato Casserole and thought it would taste great in a crust so I tweaked the recipe for a pie and came up with my newest favorite pie in my repertoire.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Classic Apple Pie Re-Do

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I have a confession to make.....

I have totally changed my way of thinking on Apple Pie and what kind of apples you need to use to make a great one!  Yikes!  I know.

For years you've probably read about my preaching on how Granny Smith are the be all end all apples for apple pie, but the truth is there are all kinds of great apples for baking and I just never knew this until recently.

I always used my mom's recipe for apple pie until about a year ago.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Chicken Tortellini Soup

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I'm always on the lookout for new ways to make soup, because I LOVE soup!

And I'm talking all year long too.  Not just soup in the winter.

I can stroll into Panera in the blazing 110 degree weather and STILL get the broccoli cheddar soup ~ YUM!

I thought it was about time I created a few new ones of my own and this is the second one I've made lately and they were both amazing!

This one was so delicious I actually ate a bowl for breakfast the day after I made it, lol.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

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After school or after work snacks are sometimes very hard to decide on what to make, right?

I often find my son with a bag of chips or a bag of  Top Ramen as his snack and even though we have a ton of fruit and other delicious looking treats in the house they all seam to reach for the convenience foods.

Well I found a treat that is delicious, easy to make, and one that I always have all the ingredients for on hand.

I follow several blog and get emails of their daily posts and one of my favorites is The Slow Roasted Italian.

They always have the tastiest looking recipes sitting in my inbox!  The other day I found this recipe for Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Puffs and knew I had to try them out.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Apple Crisp


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I grew up in a family of definite bakers from my grandmother on my Mom's side to my Mom and Aunt. Thankfully this treasure of being able to bake was also passed down to my brother and me.

I love Fall and all it encompasses, the colors, the smells, the flavors all warm my heart this time of year.

I especially love apples.  I love to make Homemade Apple SauceApple Pie, and my Oatmeal Caramel Apple Pie Bars, but I think my favorite is Apple Crisp.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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I'm always trying to come up with new and inventive ways to make muffins. Plus I always need new ways to use up the bananas other than banana bread.

I could easily eat muffins for breakfast every day.  How about you?  Do you like muffins?

They're kinda like naked cupcakes, lol.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Soft Buttery Dinner Rolls

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I love bread!  There, I'm out of the closet!  Actually I really think I'm a carboholic, shhhhh.

I even love making homemade bread.  The whole process is amazing and the way the house smells while is rising and baking, oh my!

I have lots of bread recipes pinned to my Pinterest boards, don't you?

I even have a recipe for Parker House Rolls that I've made for a few years now that came from Alex Guarnaschelli from Food Network and they are amazing.

But these, sigh, these rolls that I slightly adapted from Cooking Classy have been calling my name since I pinned them a while back.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

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My hubby loves root beer and root beer floats so for his birthday this year I decided to try something new and make root beer float cupcakes.

It was one of those recipes that I can't believe actually worked out and the cupcakes really did taste like root beer floats!

I bought some of those flavored oils from the candy making / baking section of JoAnns or Michael's and one of the flavors was root beer.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Chicken Enchilada Soup

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I love soup!

I actually eat it all year long, but I especially love soup in the Fall and Winter.

It has turned cold here in California in the last few weeks, well at least cold in the morning and evenings.  The days are still crazy.

But it's definitely soup weather to me!

My daughter and I have been craving some sort of Chicken Tortilla or Chicken Enchilada Soup so this is the one I came up with the other day.