Holidays

My first foray into making chocolate bark was last Christmas—we were snowed in and I wanted to make something festive using whatever ingredients I could find in my pantry. This time, I had purchased some roasted and salted pepitas to make a sauce for skirt steak tacos, then figured out that I'd bought the wrong thing. What to do with them? The pepitas made a nice salty snack, but I do love a little sweet with my salt. The result is my Dried Cherry and Roasted Pepita Dark Chocolate Bark.  Read more >

[Editor's Note: As 2012 approaches, many are considering a traditional black-eyed peas dish for New Year's Day. They're not only supposed to bring good luck, but they're also a really nutritious way to balance out some of those heavy holiday calories. Here, from the archives, is a post chock full of great ways to cook your black-eyed peas on Sunday. --Genie]  Read more >

'Tis the season for holiday employment. November and December are typically months where people hankering for a few extra dollars can take on additional jobs created by the demand during the holidays. This year, however, the tough economy has made holiday jobs more lifeline than extra cash for many affected by long-term job loss.  Read more >

If you have ever moved - ever packed up your worldly belongings and lugged them from place to place - then you will appreciate this rhetorical question: How much 'stuff' does one really need? Other than a ukulele and a grain grinder, I can't say I want for anything right now, which is why I'm asking my Loved Ones to gift me (and others) with Things That Go Away. For example:Candles  Read more >

What is funny to one person may not be funny to another, but laughter is the healthiest involuntary response (second maybe only to sleep) that your body can experience. Humor identifies common ground, breaks tension and brings people together. So why not spread it around this holiday season?  Read more >