Virtual Cookie Swap 2018 Link Party

You know what time of year it is? It’s cookie baking season! My favorite time of year. As many of you know, I used to host an annual cookie swap party, but unfortunately I had to stop doing that because at my last cookie party I had a nasty allergic reaction to a cookie with…

Cream Cheese Cookie: VIRTUAL COOKIE SWAP

This recipe for a Cream Cheese Cookie comes from my mother who got it from her grandmother. When my mom was little they would visit her grandparents in Pompton Lakes, NJ for the holidays and my great grandmother Albigese would make these Italian cookies for my mom and her siblings. I have since turned it…

Anise Cookie: VIRTUAL COOKIE SWAP

Here is another recipe my mother got from her grandmother.  My Italian great grandmother Albigese used to bake this Anise Cookie when my mom would visit Pompton Lakes (PL) as a child. I hope you enjoy baking these  with your loved ones and that you make happy memories that will live through the generations. ANISE…

How to Host a Cookie Exchange

It’s that time of year… Cookie Exchange time.  As a special treat I thought I’d pass along instructions on how to host a cookie exchange. While I’m no longer hosting a physical cookie exchange, I figure it’s just too challenging with my food allergy concerns, I do host my online cookie exchange. This year marks…

Allergy Safe Yule Log

Meet the allergy safe yule log – it is completely dairy, nut and egg free. This is what happens when family members have food allergies and another family member is desperate to cook a Christmas tradition. Many years ago, before I was diagnosed with food allergies, we cooked to accommodate my nephew’s allergies. His mom,…

Christmas Dinner with the Fam

Christmas Dinner with the Fam I just wanted to share with you our typical Christmas dinner with the fam. For our family the Christmas meal normally means roast beef and a turkey breast roast for those family members that don’t eat red meat. With the roasts we also serve sides of pan roast potatoes (there…

Christmas Morning Breakfast Roll

Every year my mom makes a Christmas morning breakfast roll. She makes a slight variation of the roll each year, sometimes going back and re-creating the recipe from a past year… she has notes of all variations of this recipe dating all the way back to 1977. The one pictured features orange honey, orange zest,…

Christmas Punch

Christmas Punch When we were catering we used to cater the monthly luncheons for a local women’s club – the Monday Club of San Luis Obispo. One of the traditions that dates back to the start of the club is to serve punch during the club’s social hour between the meeting and the lunch. We…

Orange Cookie: VIRTUAL COOKIE SWAP

Gotta love how my family loves holiday baking! Here is a recipe for an Orange Cookie from my cousin Win. Hope you all enjoy. ORANGE COOKIE 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated salt 3 large eggs…