Dearest Friends, hello. I know Thanksgiving is the time to express our gratitude but I always find Thanksgiving comes and goes, leaving no time for reflection: no sooner are we packing up leftovers are we on to the next big feast, drafting menus and shopping lists, hoping to somehow get everything done in the few short weeks we have. It's exhausting! But there is so much to be grateful for, and these past few weeks, I've tried to keep a running list:
And dear readers, all of you: year after year, I find myself ever more grateful for your support and encouragement, your thoughtful comments and emails, and your kindness and generosity. Thank you. Iβm wishing you all the best for a safe and healthy New Year. I hope you get to spend NYE with people you love and lots of good nibbles and cheer by your side as you count down to 2025 π I've rounded up all of my favorite New Yearβs Eve recipes from drinks to dips in this post. Find some highlights below:
PS: If you plan on making crostini for NYE, you might want to make a loaf of focaccia sometime between now and then. Festive Appetizers for NYEβSpinach Artichoke Dip (... in a bread bowl πππ) βHomemade Ranch Dip with Greek Yogurt ... a favorite!
βIna Garten's Baked Fontina... a crowd pleaser! βSun-Dried βTomatoβ and Spinach Pestoβ βHow to Make Crostiniβ β3-Ingredient Sugared Cranberries...
... for all of your cheese board needs π
βCrushed Olive Dipβ
βAddictive Cheese Sticksβ
βCreamy Dreamy Homemade Hummus...
... topped with crispy chickpeasβ
β4-Ingredient Balsamic-Roasted Mini Peppersβ
βEndive Boats with Pear, Blue Cheese, and Candied Pepitasβ βThyme-Roasted Grapes with Homemade Ricottaβ βPickled CruditΓ© with Spicy Cashew Dipβ ββRaw Beet Dipβ βSimple Marinated Olivesβ βTangerine Spritzβ 5 Free Resources Available to You
PS: You're loving these Uglies!β |
Bread enthusiast. Vegetable lover. Omnivore. If the kitchen is your happy place, you're in good company. Let's hang.
Friends, good morning. Last night, I pulled an undated bag of frost-coated currant scones from the freezer. Given their very past-prime appearance, my expectations were low, and I questioned whether I should bother reheating them, but I pushed on this morning, crossed my fingers, and threw them in the oven. Friends, they are so good! I love a scone, and I love this one so very much: punctuated with tiny currants, it's perfectly sweet and lightly lemony. What's more, it doesn't taste at all...
... build a sourdough starter from scratch! Friends, if you've ever wanted to build a sourdough starter from scratch or if you've tried in the past and failed, it's time to try again! We've had a glorious few days of sunny skies and warm weather here in Upstate New York, and my starter hasn't been happier in months. I'm not feeding it any differently; it's thriving simply because the temperature outside has risen. This got me thinking: if the weather here is finally looking bright (despite...
Friends, hello. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. We are back from Vermont, and I am missing sitting on my cousin's screened-in porch admiring the view. This week I worked on a rosemary-olive sourdough recipe (using this recipe as a base), and while it was a little heavy, it was very tasty. More on this soon: I also put together a little Mother's Day gift guide. A few things Iβm excited about include the seasonβs latest cookbooks as well as this bright blue tortilla press (so...