November 10, 2010.   Categories By Holiday, Christmas, Desserts, Gluten Free Recipes, Thanksgiving Dinner, Tortes.

Friendship and Chocolate-Espresso Torte with Raspberry Sauce Recipe from Sunset Magazine A couple of weeks ago we invited some very close friends up to our house for dinner.  When we planned the dinner, we had no idea it would be one of our last together as Colorado residents.  The evening before they arrived, our friends Craig and Stacy’s house sold and they announced they were moving to Washington State…. at the end of...

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November 8, 2010.   Categories Best of the Web, Poultry, Roasting, Thanksgiving Dinner.

During the holiday season it’s hard walk past a magazine rack without seeing a perfectly glazed turkey on the cover.  Turn the page and you’ll find many tips on how to make the perfect side dishes, gravy and desserts.  But the turkey should be the star of your holiday table.  To make sure you have a juicy and flavorful bird, take the extra time to brine the night before. WHY BRINING IS DELISH… Brining combines a solution of salt and...

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October 24, 2010.   Categories By Holiday, Cocktails, Halloween.

Halloween: Using Dry Ice for Party Drinks It’s Halloween and nothing looks spookier then a steaming caldron on your beverage table.  To make your favorite potion, you won’t have to cast a spell but you will need some dry ice.  Dry ice has long been used to create creepy atmosphere at parties.  The rolling mist it creates transforms an everyday cocktail or punch into a bone-chilling brew. Most grocery stores or fish departments will have...

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October 15, 2010.   Categories By Holiday, Cookies from Home, Desserts, Halloween, Thanksgiving Dinner.

Pumpkin, Cranberry Pecan Cookies 3/4 cup pecan halves 1 stick, unsalted butter 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 large organic egg 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade (but not flavored pie filling) 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1/2 tsp ground cloves pinch of salt 1 cup dried cranberries Method: Preheat the oven to...

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September 30, 2010.   Categories Chef Dawn Viola, Christmas, Contributing Chefs, Desserts, Pies and Tarts, Thanksgiving Dinner.

www.wickedgooddinner.com This is simply the best apple pie in America! Really! Dawn Viola of “Wicked Good Dinner” is an award-winning chef and food-writer.  She won the 2009 Crisco National Apple Pie Championship (professional division) for this wonderful Vanilla Vanilla-Bean Roasted Apple Pie.  Dawn has also appeared on Food Network, Fox News, Martha Stewart Radio, Cooking with Emeril and has been featured in Desserts...

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June 20, 2010.   Categories Father's Day, Ramblings.

For Sons and Daughters Without Fathers Happy Remembrance Day I was inspired to follow in Michael Ruhlman’s footsteps on this Father’s Day morning.  He posted a very simple and heartfelt post on his blog with photos of his father.  Like me, he lost his dad and Father’s Day for those of us without fathers is about remembering.  It can be sad and a bit heavy-hearted.  His post was dedicated to Father’s Without Fathers....

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