If you're planning to entertain this Christmas season and need an elegant entree for an evening meal, today's recipe is one that is sure to dazzle your dinner guests! A structure consisting of puff pastry, creamed potatoes, prime rib, and sauted vegetables, with drizzles of demi glace sauce and Aioli, Major Domo's Favorite Pie is a sophisticated, yet robust meal. Our family first enjoyed Major Domo's Favorite Pie at Cinderella's Castle in Disney World. It is exceptional in flavor and presentation! It is also fairly expensive and time-consuming (although completely worth it) to prepare. I've followed the real recipe for a few very special occasions, as pictured in this post from a Christmas ... Read more
Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Hello, again! I’m posting Christmas recipes this week, and today I’d like to share one of my (and my kids’, believe it or not!) favorite holiday vegetables: Brussels Sprouts! Brussels sprouts used to get such a bad rap, but that’s simply not the case anymore. Up until a few years ago, the only option our grocers offered was frozen. Now that fresh sprouts are stocked in most food markets, they have definitely taken on a new reputation for being a tasty little leafy green! For a weeknight meal, I just roast the sprouts on a baking sheet with salt, pepper, and olive oil for a healthy side dish. They are delicious just like this! But for special occasions, I jazz them up with a few extra ... Read more
Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
Merry Christmas season, my friends! Christmas is in full swing here at the house, with Christmas movies, parties, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and baking going full throttle! I have so many posts I'd like to share this month, and since cooking and baking are two of my favorite aspects of any holiday, I'll start off with some recipe posts. Twice-Baked Potato Casserole is a perfect potato dish for any special occasion or holiday year round, and can be served alongside just about any meat. A friend gave me this recipe over twenty years ago when we were in the young marrieds group together at church. She served it at a couples' shower with pork tenderloin, and before the night ended, I was ... Read more
Thanksgiving (Leftover) Soup
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! If you have leftover turkey, I've got the recipe for your weekend! I just call this soup "Thanksgiving Soup" because it has all the flavors of Thanksgiving in a soup and makes excellent use of leftover turkey. Thanksgiving Soup ***** -Cook 1 box long grain and wild rice according to box directions; set aside. -Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a pan. -Saute the following ingredients until golden: 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1 cup carrot, chopped 1 cup sliced mushrooms (fresh are best, but I have a can in the pantry I'll be using this weekend) 1 tsp. dried basil & 1 tsp. dried chopped rosemary -Add in 2 cups diced ... Read more
Thanksgiving Week in the Kitchen
Happy Thanksgiving week! I've had several recipe posts in mind leading up to this week, but with our busy school schedule and a computer crash, I just haven't been able to make them happen. However, I'm excited to report this week that not only are we on our holiday break from school, but I'm also sporting a new computer. So, hold on to your seats because you're about to get several recipe posts in one! The table above is from last year's Thanksgiving gathering. We hosted my husband's side of the family and enjoyed so many blessings from the time together. This year, we'll be eating with my side of the family at my parents' home and are expecting a large crowd. My parents have always been ... Read more
Jack-O’-Lantern Cheeseburger Pie
Our family is big on traditions and celebrating holidays and special occasions in big ways. However, Halloween is just not one of our favorites. The neighborhood we live in goes a little overboard on the spooky, gruesome side of Halloween and our kids have never wanted to be out in it all on Halloween night. So, we've made our own tradition of staying in and watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown while eating Jack-O'-Lantern Cheeseburger Pie! This has gone on for years and my kids still love it and look forward to it. They are not budging. Jack-O'-Lantern Cheeseburger Pie is such a tasty treat! You could easily replace the cheeseburger mixture with a meaty pizza filling, a bbq ... Read more
Happy is the House
The following post is a piece I wrote for my previous blog several years ago. Our home continues to be blessed with the happiness others bring into it! Have a lovely fall day, friends! Above our family’s front door hangs a plaque that reads Happy is the house that shelters a friend--a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Although the plaque has hung in our home for over a decade now, I still smile every time I read it because Emerson’s words epitomize the blessings we receive when family and friends come to visit. Our family delights in welcoming people into our home and into our lives! You see, the joy begins with the anticipation of “company’s coming”— the planning, preparations, and excitement ... Read more
The Transitional Wreath
I love a wreath! I love front doors and porches and the welcome they offer. A pretty wreath and swept porch communicate to our guests that we’re anticipating their visit and we’re celebrating the current season! Being in between seasons can sometimes create the dilemma of not knowing what to display at our home’s entrance. Currently, we’re transitioning from summer to fall. Nobody is more ready for fall decorating than my girls and me! We delight in the rich oranges, browns, and plums of autumn. But with temperatures still in the high nineties (blahhh), I’m just not feeling pumpkins and mums yet. But I’m also so ready to move on from summer. Really really ready. My solution: TRANSITIONAL ... Read more