Sugar & Spice by Celeste

There were many years where our Thanksgiving table was always graced by the congealed cranberry sauce of the canned variety.  You know the one - It plops out of the can with a "thwack" and then is sliced into slivers before being served.  However, I had a wonderful revelation a few years back...HOMEMADE cranberry sauce.  Why had I not been making it at home all along?? It's incredibly easy and results in a much tastier accompaniment for that oh-so-delectable cornbread dressing that we look forward to all year long.  After all, we put so much love and care into the dressing, that it's a shame not to pair it with something homemade and delicious as well. For the past several years, I've made this Double Cranberry-Apple Sauce .  But, I wanted to try something new this year - something a little easier and maybe not quite so tart.  This recipe for Simple & Amazing Cranberry Sauce was perfect.  Minimal ingredients, majorly easy and incredibly scr...

I've had a sick hubby on my hands over the past few days.  He better start feeling better soon, though, because there's a lot of good eatin' to be done tomorrow on Thanksgiving!  Something tells me that after that first bite of the cornbread & sausage dressing that he looks forward to for 364 days a year, he'll be much better!  ( Speaking of Thanksgiving, this dish would be a perfect way to use leftover turkey! ) Last night, he was feeling extra sick and pitiful...sore throat, headache, etc, etc...It's just that time of year, I reckon.  I had some leftover chicken already cooked from the previous night, so Chicken Noodle Soup sounded perfect...easy, yet comforting. There's just something about chicken noodle soup when you're sick, don't you agree?  In fact, when Brad and I were just dating, he had to work one night and wasn't feeling well.  I surprised him by showing up at work with some yummy Chicken Noodle Soup, and it put the biggest ...

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner??  In the midst of all the football games, brisk walks around the neighborhood with autumn leaves tumbling through the air, cozy scarves, warm boots, pumpkin pies, and colorful drives through town surrounded by fall colors, isn't it wonderful to stop and think about all the things we have to be thankful for?  It's a season of treasured time spent with family and new memories made.  I love it. As your family gathers around the dining table this year for your Turkey Day feast, what recipes and dishes will you be making?  Are they treasured family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, or will you be adding a new favorite this year? Our meal always consists of a very traditional New England spread...Sweet Potato Souffle, Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey, Homemade Cranberry Sauce, Cornbread Dressing with Sausage, Broccoli & Cheese Casserole, Creamed Corn, an array of different dessert...

Thank you all SO very much for entering my latest giveaway for an autographed copy of "DADGUM That's Good, Too!" by John McLemore!!  It's an awesome cookbook, and I'm thrilled to be able to give one away to a lucky reader. So, without further ado, the winning comment is: COMMENT #30: Andrea said...     I follow you on Pinterest.   Andrea November 5, 2012 6:31 PM     Congratulations, Andrea!!!  Your cookbook will be on its way to you very soon!  :)

It's that time of the year again...Time for all the ghouls, ghosts and goblins to come out and play tonight!  It's also time for our annual Halloween shindig.  What a great time we had this year, eating fun Halloween-themed food and spending time together in our silly costumes.  Although the party was a little last minute this year, we still had a blast.  Friends and family came dressed up in their best costumes - There was a pirate, a graduate, a ghostbuster, Little Red Riding Hood, an "obnoxious football fan", a gypsy, and even Jason and Chuckie came in super scary costumes to name a few.  I dressed up as a "Mysterious Masquerader!"  The party menu was tons of fun to prepare, as usual.  I whipped up a few favorites from past parties, like Witches' Wands, Nutty Ghosts, Kidney Stew (aka Chili) and Mummy Dogs.  I also added a couple of new recipes to the mix, like Blood Punch and an awesomely cute little Nacho Flavored Cheese Ball. ...

I recently had the chance to sit down with chef, cookbook author and CEO of Masterbuilt , John McLemore, for a delicious lunch here in Birmingham, AL.  John was in town for the day on a media blitz, and I'm so thankful that he took the time to meet with me.  Upon arriving, I was greeted by the entire gang - his wife Tonya, his daughter, his Social Media Specialist and even his pilot!  We had a great time at lunch, and I immediately felt like I had known them for years...What a wonderful group of folks.  We talked about all kinds of fun things - memories of his Memaw's Southern Fried Chicken, the story surrounding his most unforgettable meal, the strangest thing he's ever eaten (it was in China!) and even a visit with Paula Deen, in which she prepared an amazing breakfast spread for John and his family at her home.   I love that John's cookbooks have such a big focus on family.  Flipping through his cookbook is like looking through a family album, f...

Soup and sandwich combos don't get much more classic than a comforting bowl of tomato soup with a toa sty g rilled cheese o n the side .   So, when I received the October 2012 issue of Food Network magazine in the mail recently with this yummy dish gracing the cover, I was anxious to try it. Now, I don't have a fancy pan ini press, but that didn't stop me.  I whipped out my trusty skillet and simply made the sandwiches the old-fashione d way.  After a quick trip to the cutting board, they were cut into neat little squares and ready to go. Oh!  And did I mention that the grilled cheese is made with melty, ooey, gooey, amazing gruyere cheese ?  Oh , my...my f avorite...! The saffron threads add a depth of flavor that only saffron can, and the combinat ion of cream and just enough orzo make this soup decadent and mouthwateringly tasty .  The soup is super easy, but the f lavor is great and perfect for the chilly nights ahead.  That's anot...