Making my New Year’s Resolutions Plan

I gave up making New Year's resolutions about 10 years ago. I mean, really. What are the statistics on the success of these well-intended promises we make to ourselves? Not high. And not only that, but we tend to overindulge before the big event, making them even detrimental. One year I vowed to give up sweets on the first day of the year. So on December 31st, I consumed a bag of cookies and several pieces of Key Lime pie someone brought to the New Year's Eve party. This is more than I would... Continue reading

Peter Peter (and Jean and Richard) Pumpkin Eater!

I've probably thrown away 30 or 40 pumpkins during my adult life. Many of those, at least in the last 10 years or so, have ended up in my compost heap, but it still seems like not the best use of the squashy flesh of the good old pumpkin. But you can eat these guys! I've used pumpkins for soups and sides, but when I'm hankering for something sweet, I break out a pumpkin cookie recipe I used once to make use of the leftover canned pumpkin from a Thanksgiving pie. Yes, this year's pumpkin will... Continue reading

Autumn arrangement

And you can eat it! Thanksgiving was bearing down on us — and fast! Richard, being the love he is, was readying to rush down to the nearby grocery store while I cooked and cleaned like a woman with a mission; this in hopes of having pies ready for Thursday’s meal and the house in shape for overnight company. As Richard headed out the door, a final addition to the list came to mind and I called out, “Buy me flowers!” And then I stopped to think. Now don’t get me wrong, I... Continue reading

Homemade croutons

Somebody let the bread go stale I looked in the refrigerator, and I found this!  :( Yes, it looked just like this. Poorly wrapped and hard as nails. I don't want to mention any names, but the initials of the person that let the bread go hard are RICHARD KIRBY. No worries. We are having butternut squash soup for dinner tonight, and I've got just the answer! Homemade croutons! First, grab the petrified hunk of bread and place it on the cutting board. Use whatever method pleases you to cut... Continue reading