Thanks to Kellogg’s for sponsoring this post.
Salmon Tzatziki Canapés
Remember that time I was Ina Garten’s BFF? Well, the time I was invited to her house for a cookie swap, anyway. It was basically the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me. And the one thing I wanted to ask her was how she manages to host a million dinners and cocktail parties and breakfasts without breaking a sweat, all in a gorgeous white blouse without so much as a hair out of place. Right?! She’s magical.
Lemon Cheesecake Kuchen Bars
My 9th graders complete a year-long travel project where they research and plan a trip to three European cities, embark on an in-depth study of travel writing, and then actually take their trip and travel write for themselves. It’s an incredible capstone project for their last year at our school, which currently ends at 9th grade.
This year they’ve chosen to travel to Barcelona, Venice, and Florence. Last year’s group also chose Florence (along with Rome and Paris), so this will be my second time there. I’m tremendously grateful that this year’s group is taking me back, because I have a loose end to tie up: I have to climb Il Duomo.
Peaches and Cream Cheesecake Braid
I’ve had a terrible day. Even those Super Bowl macarena sharks only helped for a hot minute. So let me tell you a story about an island of joy.
The island happens to be my classroom. At 1:05pm on the dot every Friday afternoon, two of my students bounce through my door. They’re not running in because they’re excited about P.E. or lunch (although they love those things, too). Instead, they’re running in to grab up their crochet hooks.
Simple Sandwich Spreads: Pimento Cheese and Olive Cream Cheese
A few times a year I get an intense craving for pimento cheese. Not lame pimento cheese: it has to be fresh, spicy, homemade pimento cheese. And not served in just any way: it has to be piled onto a slice of plain white bread, folded over and served with a Coke.
Check out 14 Stunning Holiday Desserts
by Julie Ruble at Foodie.com
Thanks, Foodie, for sponsoring this post.
If you’re sad because you keep scrolling through photos of homes decorated for Christmas and beautiful cookies and homemade gifts and holiday parties and hot chocolate breaks and meticulous Christmas lights and PERFECT FAMILIES, come here and let me give you a dysfunctional hug. You are so not alone.
Super Fancy Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
Just remember that everyone picks out the bright spots to share. Almost no one posts their struggles, especially not the ugly struggles. And if they do, their friends give them the side-eye and they become That Messy Girl Who Shares Too Much. So no one does. Instead we all sit in our messy houses staring at stacks of unaddressed Christmas cards and and feel like we belong on the island of misfit toys.
I’m going to be That Messy Girl today, because I’m not willing to let you feel that way. Or I’m not willing to let you hang out on the island alone, anyway.
