Tags: #cheese, #Christmas, #ChristmasDinner, #cookin, #Cooking, #Cranberries, #snackin
Kicking Cranberry Sausage Balls
Growing up in Texas, there are a few staples I could always expect at my parents’ parties during the winter – homemade Chex mix, cheese straws, and sausage balls were just a few. But after moving overseas, I realized those lovely cylinders of Jimmy Dean sausages are impossible to come by here in Belgium. And as the holidays passed, sausage balls became nothing but a wistful memory. But then, I had a realization that changed my life. . . I could make breakfast sausage!!! (WHAAAAAAT?) I know. I know. While you are telling me to stop the crazy talk, I’m
Christmas Eve
“I want to talk to you about the subject of plans. . . life plans and how we all make them, and how we hope that our kids make good, smart, safe plans of their own. But if we’re really honest with ourselves, most of our plans don’t work out as we’d hoped. So instead of asking out young people, “What are your plans? What do you plan to do with your life?’ maybe we should tell them this: Plan. . . to be surprised.” – Dan Burns (Steve Carell’s character, Dan in Real Life, 2007 movie) Christmas Eve, 2019
Blue Christmas Cheesecake
Blue Christmas Cheese Cheesecake “You’ll be doing all right With your Christmas of white But I’ll have a blue, blue, blue cheese Christmas. . .” My husband loves blue cheese and there are plenty of excellent recipes out there for dressing this versatile cheese up or down. The following is one of the most beautiful presentations I have seen, and it is super-tasty to boot! It is best prepared the day before, to allow ample time to chill before serving. This recipe can be doubled for a crowd. . . maybe next year. Preppin’ 1/2 cup (75 grams) pecan or
Days of Our Lives Cranberry Mold
Cozy Coupe. Swing-set. An oak tree outside our breakfast nook. These are the images of my childhood. My mother, a full-time mom of three, would feed us lunch and catch glances of her favorite daytime soap from a tiny black and white television from the corner of the kitchen. As she served us macaroni and cheese with sliced hotdogs, Days of Our Lives would hum from a tiny T.V. next to the stove. Come Christmas, my Mom would make this magical mix of spiced tea with Tang, red hots, and instant tea. . . but my most favorite dish
How 2020 Stole Christmas!
Update: I’m happy to announce that the following poem was published by The Brussels Times on December 22, 2020. Click here to view: https://www.brusselstimes.com/opinion/145641/how-2020-stole-christmas/ 2020 has been a difficult year, to say the least. As my children and I unearthed the Christmas decorations from the basement and started to re-read all our favorite holiday stories, I found an alarming similarity between a familiar prose. . . and 2020’s “festivities”. With a sarcastic, but yet enlightened heart, I wrote the following poem. Thank you, Dr. Suess, for your beautiful poem, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Who knew your message could be adapted
Antwerp Christmas Market
When my family and I lived in the Netherlands, my husband and I used to get up on a Sunday, look at each other and say, “What should we do today?” If it wasn’t raining, the answer was often, “Let’s go to Belgium!” We drive and park and wander the streets of Antwerp admiring the architecture, the wide boulevards, visit the Bric-a-Brac market in Sint-Jansvliet and inevitably feast on a waffle from our favorite stand in the train station. We’d head back to Leiden before dark. We’ve visited Christmas markets in Brussels, Brugge, Paris, and Aachen. For some strange reason,
Christmas Tea Party
The idea began with me laughing and shaking my head at Facebook posts. My husband grew up in Louisiana, and his fraternity brothers all married beautiful southern-born women. While Texas has its own way of doing things, I can admit it’s probably a little more rugged and less refined than its southern sisters. With firmly planted French roots, New Orleans has a unique and sophisticated manner of decorating, speaking, and hosting. Back in September I swear, or maybe it was October, I saw Facebook posts requesting recommendations for mother-daughter Christmas teas in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. I smirked. I
Winter Wonders & Christmas Market
One of my family’s most favorite things to do and see is the Brussels Christmas market in the heart of the city. We’ve spent the past three Christmases exploring the city and it never disappoints. This year we loaded up the front wheeled sleigh to partake in one of the most wonderful of Christmas traditions – the viewing of the lights and tree in Brussels’ Grand Place. The Grand Place has the most fantastic lights display. Last year the beautiful lights danced to a soundtrack from Belgian’s own Lost Frequencies, which was, inevitably, very cool. This year it’s SIA. The
Snowballs
I used to make these with my Mom when I was a little girl. Last Christmas, my daughter and I made them together. We bundled them in little bags and passed them out to anyone who’d ever talked to us in our new Belgium neighborhood – my new mom friends at her school, the principal, the secretary, our babysitter, and the old man who always waves at us when we open our garage. This Christmas, we proudly displayed them at her Christmas Tea for her friends from school. These little goodies will bring a smile as big as a West
-
-
-
-
/ 0 Comments